Star Wars - The Inner Battle
by KyshloRen
Summary: One year after the destruction of the Starkiller planet, the First Order still dominates the Galaxy. The Resistance keeps leading the war against the First Order, now with Luke Skywalker by their side. Kylo Ren ventures in the Mid-Rim territories, tracking a target on Ord Mantell, whom he knows will help him achieve a secret mission he has been following since the beginning...
1. Prologue

Outer space seems eternally calm in the Outer Systems. The stars dispersed in the infinite black horizon coruscate like a billion diamonds. Amongst them the different planets of the Outer Rim territories seem to be asleep. All the noises from the many cities are deadened by the distance and the unshakeable silence of space.

In the Gaulus sector, in the middle of its own system, a brownish planet named Ryloth seems brighter than its sisters. Its moons slowly spin around it, following their everlasting cycle. The many valleys and jungles of Ryloth were visible even from afar, hiding the main cities of the planet.

Suddenly, a starship appears near the planet, heading towards it. The old blue Interceptor enters the atmosphere of the planet, flying straight to the canyon outside Kala'uun. It lands on its edge, and a native creature of Ryloth rushes up to it. The cockpit opens, and the silhouette of a tall woman jumps out of it.

Teebasha Varn removes her pilot helmet, throwing it on her seat. Her braided high bun stays in place despite her abrupt movement, and two thin brown braids dangle right before her ears, their edge resting on her collar bones. Her dark brown eyes scan the landscape around her, searching for her friend, who would always greet her whenever she would come back from a mission. Finally, she sees him in the corner of her eyes, and the green Twi'lek embraces her.

" _Kassurra, Natelo'or_ ," Teebasha greets him with a pat in the back, grinning as she feels the protruding tentacles of his skull tickling her fingers. "I'm sorry I took so long to come back. This mission was harder than I expected."

"I was worried you would get into trouble," Natelo'or admits, pulling away a little. "You never know with those smugglers."

"I should've tried to contact you. I'm sorry. Anyway, I'm here now, and I must pick the next mission. I have so many notices I must read."

"Then take your time. Don't forget to rest. I brought you a whole meal earlier. You won't have to buy anything in the city."

Teebasha smiles and hugs her friend again. Natelo'or hands her a paper, and she immediately recognises the colour and the font. Another wanted notice. The Twi'lek hugs her once again, before pulling away a second time.

" _Ka'ta, Kocceille Twi'lek_."

" _Ka'ta, muchi_."

She steps back and waves at Natelo'or, who walks away to reach his home. Teebasha folds the wanted notice and buries it in her pocket. She opens her bag and takes out her resistant rope. She kneels down beside her Interceptor and ties it around its wing, tying the other edge around her waist, tucking it in her belt. She stands on the ledge of the canyon and takes a quick breath, before jumping into the emptiness below her.

The wind blows back her thin braids, and her vest flutters behind her back. She bounces twice, before she starts swinging back and forth until she reaches a metallic bar at the entrance of a cave. She wraps her legs around it, and her feet finally touch the ground. She unties the rope and encircles the bar with it. She enters the cave, and much to her relief, she is home.

Teebasha drops her backpack on the ground, ignoring the dust floating around it. She steps forward and glances at her wall covered with weapons, touching some of them as she passes them by. She enters her main room and notices the tray with the meal Natelo'or prepared for her. Her lips curl up into a smile as she grabs a tiny water bottle, pouring its poor content in a vase where she keeps a rare plant from the Rylothian jungle.

She picks up the tray and sits on her dusty bed, placing her food on her knees as she started her meal. Her eyes shut themselves as the unique taste of fresh food, which is something she has missed for many months. This is one of the disadvantages of being a bounty hunter: you must get used to wandering far from your home, and moving endlessly whilst tracking a smuggler or any other designated target. Therefore, enjoying a moment of peace and a nice, warm meal is extremely rare. Most of the time, you would have to settle for snacks, or an empty stomach.

Teebasha rests the back of her head against the wall, rediscovering the place she called home whilst taking other bites of warm bread. The tiny lamps she once suspended to the roof of the cave are shaking as the hot breeze of the canyon blows on them. They bathe her weapons in their light, then the tiny starships she keeps on a shelf.

She smiles at the sight, finally feeling safe.

Once the tray is empty, Teebasha puts it down on the ground, crossing her legs on the bed. Her eyes land on a massive pile of wanted notices she has not read yet. With a sigh, she picks up the first one and examines it. A meaningless target with a poor price put on his head. Teebasha tears the sheet and throws it away. Suddenly, she remembers the notice Natelo'or gave her earlier. She grabs it in her back pocket and unfolds it.

The nastiest smuggler worth a million wupiupi.

Teebasha smirks and reads the name of the planet where she must bring the smuggler's body as a proof that she killed him. _Ord Mantell_ … The planet where she was born, and where she left her family.

She stares into space as nostalgia takes hold of her. She recalls the large cities of Ord Mantell, its beautiful lakes, and its mountains. She wonders what it would feel like to get back to the Mid-Rim territories, especially in the Bright Jewel system. Would she see her family again? Probably not. However, she knows she will get this smuggler and earn the money he is worth.

Teebasha grabs her pocket knife and holds the wanted notice against the wall. She stares at it for a second, before planting her knife in it.

She can sense that going to Ord Mantell will change her life.


	2. Chapter 1

Teebasha woke up after a long, almost sleepless night. Nightmares and visions of her past life on Ord Mantell kept playing inside her head each time she would close her eyes. The darkness behind her eyelids would endlessly reveal the face of her younger sister, drenched with tears, as she would jump inside her starship without turning back. The desperate, high-pitched voice of her beloved sibling calling her name would not stop torturing her. And then, when she finally thought it was over, the figures of her crippled father and mother accentuated the feelings of pain and guilt that ripped her heart into pieces.

As soon as the first sunrays pierced the entrance of her cave, Teebasha sat up on her bed and wiped the pearls of sweat on her forehead and temples. She reached out for the bucket of fresh water she had filled before going to bed, and plunged her hands in it, splashing the liquid on her face and neck. Then, she proceeded to scrub the dirt that had gathered on her skin.

She got up from her bed and grabbed the pile of clothes she had neatly folded and prepared the day before. She put on her black long-sleeved shirt with its cream-coloured collar. She tucked it in her black trousers, which she held at the waist with her good old brown leather belt. Finally, she added her cream vest over her shirt, lacing it at the front. She took a look in her mirror and braided her long dark hair again, pinning it in a bun that would not disrupt her if she had to fight.

Her open backpack laying around on her desk caught her attention. She took out everything she knew she would not need during this new mission. She walked over to her wall of weapons and picked her best ones: they were not too light, but not too heavy either. They had the perfect weight. Before closing the bag, she knelt down beside her bed and dragged a box she kept under it all the time. She rummaged through it until she found a cylinder object wrapped in an old cloth. She put it in her bag and eventually got ready to go.

Teebasha climbed the canyon on the same rope she had jumped with to go home. She caught a glimpse of her dirty blue Interceptor and grinned at its sight. From afar, she distinguished the silhouette of Natelo'or coming in her direction, followed by her droid she had left on Ryloth.

" _Kassurra, Teebasha_ ," Natelo'or whispered, resting his hands on her broad shoulders. "Ready to go already? I had hoped you would stay longer."

"Unfortunately, this mission might be the most important one I've ever been given. This notice you gave me yesterday… The smuggler's worth one million wupiupi!"

The Twi'lek let out a joyless chuckle. He stepped aside and let her R2 unit droid approach her. Natelo'or patted the top of its head and looked up at his friend.

"I've repaired your droid whilst you were away. I finished the last little things yesterday evening. Normally, it's in perfect shape to go with you on your mission, even if you venture in the Core Worlds."

"Thank you, my friend. I don't know what I would do without you. This time, I'll try to get back sooner. However, I can't promise it."

"You're returning to Ord Mantell, aren't you?"

Teebasha gulped and nodded with a frown as she stared at her feet, as if she was afraid that he might see the same visions that she had seen just by looking at her. Breaking the uncomfortable silence, R2 beeped, its head rotating between the two friends. The young woman chuckled.

"Yes, R2. We're leaving in a moment. Natelo'or, thank you again. We'll meet again, but I don't know when. I'll let you know."

"Good luck, Teebasha. I'll take care of your plant and your belongings. In return, please stay safe."

Teebasha encircled Natelo'or with her arms and they shared a warm hug. She knew she would need it before this long and tough mission. When they broke off their embrace, R2 had already settled in the dorsal socket of the Interceptor, waiting for them to leave. Teebasha removed the rope from the wing of the ship and threw it inside. She climbed on the ship and waved at Natelo'or with a joyless smile.

Natelo'or turned his back to her and headed back to his house without turning back. Teebasha sat in the cockpit and put on her pilot helmet, right after she buckled her belt. She turned on the engine and pushed some buttons. The engine started to purr, and the young hunter shut the cockpit.

"Alright, R2, prepare to fly to the Mid-Rim territories. We're landing on Ord Mantell."

The droid started to beep in response, and the Interceptor immediately took off. She gained in altitude and reached the atmosphere of the planet, until Ryloth was far behind them. Teebasha pushed two buttons and heard R2 beeping in her helmet.

"Don't be silly, R2, we're not going to enter hyperspace right now, we're going to explode. Find us a docking ring instead."

The Jedi Interceptor ventured through the Outer Rim until a hyperdrive docking ring showed up not too far. Teebasha carefully parked her vessel on the ring, and they immediately travelled at lightspeed. The hunter let her droid plan their stop, and less than a minute after, the ring stopped. Teebasha took off and flew away, silently admiring the Mid-Rim, which she had not seen for years.

The Eta-2 Actis-Class Light Interceptor quietly flew through outer space, without encountering any unwanted rivals or TIE Fighters from the First Order's base. After ten minutes of silence, Teebasha distinguished her home planet. She recognised the mostly brown continents with the many large seas and lakes in the middle of them.

"Here we are, R2," she whispered nervously, "Ord Mantell. Let me warn you: this mission will most likely not be an easy one. We're hunting down Vonar Horle. The biggest smuggler since Han Solo."

R2 beeped excitedly. The starship entered the atmosphere of Ord Mantell, heading towards Ord Mantell City. They landed just outside the capital city, near to an isolated and abandoned farm. Teebasha took out a holographic map from her bag and examined it thoroughly.

"Vonar Horle was seen yesterday night in a club of Ord Mantell City. I bet he's still there. I must check the cantina of the West side of the city first. This place is full of smugglers betting on games."

She turned off her map and buried it in her pocket. She unfastened her belt, removed her helmet and left it on her seat. The cockpit opened and she jumped out. As soon as she stood on the cold ground, she turned to her droid.

"Stay here and keep an eye on the ship. I'll be back in a few hours, hopefully. Don't let looters get the ship. They'll try to sell it for its spare parts."

The droid beeped, and Teebasha walked away, entering the city from the North. She walked the length of its border, until she reached the infamous illegal trade quarter almost two hours later. She easily found the cantina bar, and got inside. The place was crowded with ugly creatures with disgusting features, and humanoids laughing and arguing too loudly.

The bounty hunter sat on an open stool at the bar. An imposing Falleen stomped his hand on the counter and leant in, scrutinising her with a frown.

"What will ya have?"

"I'll have a simple black ale."

"Ne'tra gal?"

"It'll do perfectly."

The Falleen turned around to fix her drink. She looked all around her, trying to spot Vonar Horle at a table or amongst the crowd. A cool sensation on her hand made her turn to the bartender once again. Her glass of Ne'tra gal was ready.

"Thank you. Here's the due. However, I need to ask you a question. Did Vonar Horle come to your bar recently?"

"Vonar Horle? The smuggler?" the Falleen frowned. "Why would I tell you about that?"

Her lips curled up in a smirk as she stared right into his eyes. She focused on him and leant closer. She spoke in a whisper, knowing he would hear it despite the noise.

"You're going to tell me if Vonar Horle came to your bar recently."

The Falleen's face immediately relaxed, and his frown disappeared, as well as the wrinkles on his forehead. His tensed body suddenly thawed, and Teebasha knew it worked.

"I'm going to tell ya if Vonar Horle came to my bar recently" the bartender whispered back. "He came yesterday and lost a huge bet at a game. He left and went to a club where he's been spotted. He's still in the city, I've met him this morning."

"Do you know where I could meet him?"

"Horle will ship an entire cargo of tobacco to Tatooine this afternoon, when night begins to come down. You'll find him at the border of the smallest lake on our planet."

Teebasha nodded and memorised the information the bartender gave her. She drank her ale bottoms up and stood up from her stool.

"Thank you for your help. Now, you're going to forget about me. You've never seen me."

"I've never seen you."

She nodded and got out of the bar, leaving a few coins on the counter. During the next two hours, she walked back to her starship, where she found R2 fixing a part of the engine. She knelt down beside him and rested a friendly hand on its cold, metallic body.

"We're leaving, R2. Ord Mantell City isn't the place we should be at. We must find the smallest lake on the planet. It's on the opposite side. We must reach it before twilight strikes."

The droid beeped and shut the bonnet. He jumped on the ship and settled at its spot. Teebasha prepared herself to fly again, and a few moments later, the bounty hunter and the droid were gone.


	3. Chapter 2

The blades of grass bending under the unexpected gust of wind welcomed Teebasha's Interceptor. The bounty hunter landed two miles away from the lake where she knew Vonar Horle would show up for his nasty business.

The cockpit opened, and Teebasha peeped round, making sure nobody had seen them landing. She threw her bag across her shoulder after she took her blaster out of it. She jumped out of the Interceptor and let the droid close the cockpit. She squinted her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Alright, R2. I'm leaving you here. If I'm not back again tomorrow, send a message to Natelo'or."

The droid beeped worriedly, and Teebasha turned to him with a smile.

"Don't worry. I'll come back as soon as I'm done there."

She patted the droid's head and left. The young woman hurried towards the lake, staying alert nonetheless, knowing that the region was the ideal hideout for wanted criminals. It was an almost uninhabited area, famous for its deep tunnels and caves. Fortunately, she managed to reach her destination safely.

The pond was surrounded by spots of tall green weeds, although the ground was dry. A few wild animals were quietly eating the fruits they could find in some bushes or trees, whilst some birds landed on the surface of the water. Teebasha admired the view as she hid in a mass of large grass, her blaster in hand in case anyone attacked her. She sat on one knee and waited for the night to come down.

The sky darkened progressively as the hours passed by, but Teebasha had not moved from her hiding place at all. Her eyes were laid on the lake, expecting to see figures showing up at any moment. However, she was not feeling as confident as before. Deep inside, she could sense that something was wrong.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she thought, "it was almost too easy. Vonar Horle isn't someone you can track down easily."

Before she could ponder about it all, a dark figure appeared at the bank of the pond. She squinted her eyes, trying to distinguish the person more clearly in order to tell if it was her target or not. Unfortunately, the person was too far, and it was too late to change her hiding place.

The stranger moved, and only at this moment, she could tell he was not human. As she focused on the stranger, waiting for Horle to come out, she heard a crack behind her, and a deep, threatening voice rose in her back.

" _Yoka!_ "

Teebasha immediately spun round as she felt something touching her shoulder, and kicked the creature that had come upon her. She jumped on her feet and pointed her blaster at him, pinning him to the ground by stepping on his chest. Her attacker was a Dug, a creature that would stand on its two arms, keeping its legs up. She recognised his outfit, which was the proof he was a member of Vonar Horle's criminal gang.

"Tell me where Horle is!" she spat. "I know you're with him!"

"You really think I'm going to betray Vonar?"

The Dug let out a hideous laugh, before kicking her abruptly in the abdomen. Teebasha fell heavily on the ground, but her foot immediately hit his wrist, making him lose his balance. She put all her weight on his back, poking the back of his head with her weapon.

"I'm not asking you twice."

Before the creature would even reply, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck. Everything around her turned black and she fell unconscious on the ground. A group of smugglers, including the stranger that was standing near the lake, gathered around her, tying her wrists and ankles together. One of them grabbed her backpack, and they carried her to a hidden tunnel.

Teebasha groaned, fighting to open her eyes. Her whole body felt numb, and she was so weak she could hardly move. She could feel her hands tied together tightly by a rope behind her head, and she guessed she was suspended against a wall like a frame. She heard groans on her right, and a deep chuckle on her left. Where was she? Had she missed the opportunity to track Horle?

"Well, well, well!" a familiar voice spoke loud enough to cover the noise. "Our guest is waking up!"

The bounty hunter eventually managed to keep her eyes open. She scanned the room and noticed she was in a tunnel under the ground. She recognised the Dug who had attacked her before she passed out sitting at a table, playing cards with a blueish Rodian. At the opposite side of the room, she saw a pale human holding her backpack on his lap. Finally, her eyes landed on the fourth person that was there. Only at this moment, she recognised who had spoken a moment earlier.

"Vonar Horle," she smirked, "what a surprise!"

Horle stood up from its stool, his long brown coat hugging the back of his legs. His squid-like head was facing her, his deep turquoise eyes sunken into his skull examining her. His salmon skin shone poorly under the dim light, giving him an even more threatening appearance.

The smuggler came up to her and cupped her face with his sticky hand, his breath hitting her nose.

"This isn't just any guest," he observed. "We have the pleasure to host Teebasha Varn! Perhaps the most talented bounty hunter of the Outer Rim!"

"And I came just for you," she replied, staring at him fearlessly. "Someone in Kala'uun put a price so big on your head that a lot of hunters will want to find you throughout the Galaxy."

"Oh, really? I'm surprised you are the first one to dare interrupt my plans! What a nuisance…"

Horle let go of her and she threw him a death glare. He bypassed a big trunk in which the gang probably kept their money, or some of their illegal possessions. The leader of the gang sat on it, and she spotted her blaster next to him.

"It was not that hard to find you, Horle," Teebasha sneered. "It surprised me how easy it was."

"How did you know I would be here, precisely?"

"See the West cantina of Ord Mantell City? The bartender seemed to know more than he should. Making him spill the beans was a child's play."

The criminals laughed in unison, sharing amused looks and turning to their leader. Horle was playing with one of his facial tentacles without looking away from her.

"I highly doubt that Vyrr told you all that so easily."

"You seem to speak too much when you drink, Horle. As I said, it was a child's play to make Vyrr spill the beans. He didn't resist much to the Force."

Wild laughter filled the tunnel once again, and Horle imitated his comrades. Whilst they were not paying attention, Teebasha grabbed the tiny but sharp blade she always kept inside her bun. She proceeded to discreetly cut the rope wrapped around her wrists.

Horle clapped his hands, and the room turned silent. His eyes landed on his hostage again, and he shook his head with a grin.

"Teebasha, don't tell me you believe in those legends! The Force is an ancient myth, so are the Jedi. They have never existed."

"You'd be surprised by the power of the Force, Vonar. It is everywhere, even inside the wild animals you can find outside."

"Prove it."

As soon as he ended his sentence, Teebasha brought all her attention on him. She could feel her heart pounding inside her chest, and at this moment, she could feel the Force invading her. It made her feel invincible. The corner of her lips rose in a lopsided grin as she kept staring at her target. Horle let out a gasp, and his mates stopped talking.

"I can't move!" he groaned. "What's happening?"

"Don't underestimate the power of the Force."

Then, Teebasha freed herself from the rope, and reached out her hand towards the box on which Horle was sitting. Her blaster flew directly into her hand. The two players got up, ready to fight, and she shot the Rodian right between the eyes.

"She's not going anywhere! Her feet are still tied!" the human screamed.

"Not for very much longer!"

With a smirk, she shot the chains between her ankles, making its metal melt. Before the Dug could even touch her, she kicked him in the forehead, making him lose his balance. Whilst he was falling down, she shot him in the chest.

The human jumped on his feet at the other side of the room, and threw her backpack on the ground. Equipped with a simple scavenger weapon, he rushed up to her, ready to hit her. She dived and dodged the hit. She punched him in the jaw, but he retaliated within a second. She found herself shoved against the wall; however, her blaster slipped from her hand, bouncing away from her. The criminal hit her in the ear twice, and then right in the chin.

Teebasha collapsed, but as soon as she hit the floor, she faced him, reaching her cupped hand out. The smuggler turned pale, and his eyes widened. The veins of his temples and neck jutted out as he tried to push away the invisible hand choking him. A succession of gasps blurted from his mouth, and Teebasha smirked.

"Don't underestimate the Force," she repeated.

Suddenly, the smuggler was thrown out in the air, his head hitting the wall. He fell to the floor, unconscious.

"What is happening?!" Horle yelled, still unable to move.

The bounty hunter stood up and picked up her blaster. She walked up to her original target, burying a hand into her back pocket. She took out the wanted notice given by Natelo'or and unfolded it. She shoved it into his face and spoke.

"Do you think that I would neglect a mission worth one million wupiupi?"

Horle spat ink at her face, and Teebasha winced in pain as it burnt her eyes. Without thinking, she hit him in the jaw with the back of her blaster. She choked him with the Force, and made her backpack fly right into her hand. She opened it and took out the cylinder wrapped up in an old cloth.

"I hope you enjoyed your career, Vonar Horle. Sadly for you, you've never, _ever_ , been the nastiest smuggler since Han Solo."

She shook the cloth off her weapon, and the terrible scream of the smuggler echoed in the quiet night of Ord Mantell.


	4. Chapter 3

A silhouette appeared at the exit of a tunnel hid by tall weeds and other plants, a backpack across its shoulder, and a smaller bag in its hand. It looked all around, trying to find its precise location in the dark. A bright light unexpectedly shone upon it and blinded it. The stranger lifted an arm before their eyes, attempting to identify the source of this light. A succession of beeps filled the night, and their lips curled up into a joyful grin.

"R2!"

The figure, who was no other than Teebasha, ran up to the droid, who had the brilliant idea of turning on the Jedi Interceptor. The hunter knelt down beside her friend and rested a hand on its side.

"It's so great to see you! How did you know it was me?"

The large droid answered with excited beeps, bouncing from one 'foot' to the other. Teebasha nodded, frowning lightly.

"You saw them take me to this tunnel, then… They were right next to us since the beginning. Anyway, I'm glad I managed to come out. Let's leave this place, I wouldn't like to fight against some other criminals."

She stood up and accidentally hit her metallic companion with the bag she was holding in her hand. The droid stared at it quizzically, triggering a proud smile on the young woman's face. She opened it to show its content to R2, who let out a horrified scream.

"Shush, R2, calm down! It's Vonar Horle's head. Killing him was child's play! I can't believe how easy it was! The Force was with me all along!"

She laughed and opened the cockpit of her starship, throwing the bag with Horle's head inside, as well as her backpack. She and the droid both settled in the ship, and whilst she was pushing some buttons, she put on her pilot helmet.

"Alright, R2. Let's find a safe place to spend the rest of the night. In the morning, we're returning to Ord Mantell City. There's something I must do there."

She turned on the engine and took off, flying over the lakes and desert lands, where herds of animals were sleeping or feeding themselves under the attentive look of nocturnal predators. The Interceptor ripped through the air, flying to the East. Teebasha admired the frozen and silent landscapes passing before her eyes. She tried to remember what it looked like when she used to live there, long before the First Order burnt some cities and villages.

After three hours, Teebasha caught glimpse of the high illuminated towers of Ord Mantell City, far in the horizon. She lowered her altitude and spoke to R2 through her microphone.

"Do you remember where we landed before I went to the cantina, yesterday? It seemed to be a rather desert place, maybe we should go back there."

The droid beeped and commanded the ship to bring them back to the spot where they had landed hours before. They spent the rest of the night there, R2 turning to sleeping mode. Teebasha got out of the cockpit and lay down on the right wing of the ship, slipping an arm under her head as she watched the stars, unable to find some rest.

In the morning, the bright sunrays were not enough to wake the young woman up. She was curled up on the wing, her slightly injured wrists making her wince a few times during her sleep as she rested her head on them. R2, who had turned to his normal mode again, jumped out of his socket, bypassing the ship to find his owner sleeping peacefully. He beeped a few times, earning no reaction. Pliers got out of his body and grabbed the fabric of her shirt, tucking on it a few times. Teebasha woke up and sat up, rubbing her eyes with her fists.

"Oh, it's you, R2," she whispered drowsily. The droid beeped back, and she looked all around. "You're right. Thank you for waking me up. I'd like to go to Ord Mantell City. Do you want to come with me?"

The small robot jumped excitedly, and the hunter let out a chuckle. She jumped off the Interceptor and grabbed her backpack, throwing it across her shoulder. She shut the cockpit, and spun round to face the city. She started to walk, followed by her companion. Soon enough, they reached the entrance of the city, wandering in its streets, which she knew by heart thanks to her memories.

They kept walking until they reached a specific quarter in the city. As they approached it, Teebasha felt a lump in her throat getting bigger and bigger at each footstep that she made. She recognised the houses of her former neighbours, recalling their names as she passed them by. R2 followed her silently, spinning his head to look around them, memorising each detail. However, he unexpectedly bumped into the back of Teebasha's legs, as she had stopped walking without him noticing.

The young woman was staring at ruins, her jaw dropped and her eyes shining. The house she once lived in had been burnt to the ground, leaving only ruins and ashes. She went closer and carefully stepped across some metallic bars jutting out from the ground. Without a word, she entered what once was a pretty living room, always ornamented with plants and flowers. Teebasha pictured her mother in the corner, watering them, and talking to them, as though she was expecting an answer. From then on, only burnt pots and broken pieces remained amongst litter.

Teebasha wanted to see more. She wanted to rediscover the house, but the mere sight of the living room was too hard to bear. She took a step back and heard a sharp crack coming from under her foot. It was not a crack that a burnt object would make.

She knelt down and rummaged through the ashes after she pushed away a rotten plank. She noticed a shining object and picked it up, wiping her other hand on her trousers. She gasped as she recognised what it was.

It was the silver locket she had given her sister years before, when the latter turned five. And here it was, lying around under the dust and the ashes of their home.

She wiped it with her sleeve and slid it around her neck, hiding it under her shirt. She stood up and walked out, meeting R2 outside. The droid beeped worriedly as he saw her.

"It was my home," she whispered to him and to herself too. "I don't know what happened here, and how. Let's get out of here. How about we head to a bar and have a drink?"

Although she had asked the question, she did not need an answer. Before R2 could even beep in response, she was already away. The droid hurried up to her, and both left her home quarter. They moved farther in the core of Ord Mantell City, and walked into a bar, which seemed crowded already, despite how early it was.

Teebasha went up to the bar and rested her elbows on it, tapping her fingers on the stone counter. An orange Twi'lek turned to her and smiled warmly.

"Good morning! What can I get you?"

"Good morning," Teebasha smiled weakly. "I'll have a Rylothan yurp, if you serve it."

"Of course," the barmaid replied, almost immediately picking up a glass.

The bounty hunter and her droid spotted a free table and went up to it. She sat down on a chair and pushed the one next to her with her foot so R2 could stand near her. The droid beeped happily as a 'Thank you', and let her know that the waitress was coming with her Rylothan yurp.

"Here is your beverage, ma'am," the latter smiled, putting down the glass on the table. "I also made a special drink for droids, in case your friend might need oil. I won't make you pay for this."

"Thank you very much. My friend really appreciates it."

Teebasha handed her the money she owed her as well as some extra coins for the tip, and the waitress stepped towards another table.

"Here's your drink, R2."

The droid beeped and spun round, opening a small door in his back, so she could pour the content inside him. She did so and put down the empty glass on the table. R2 let out a noise expressing his satisfaction, and watched Teebasha bring her glass to her lips.

Between two gulps, she opened her backpack and examined the extra notices she kept inside it. Completely absorbed, she did not realise how silent the bar had just turned. All the customers and waiters were staring out the windows in terror, completely frozen. The nice waitress who had fixed Teebasha's drink was shaking after she dropped her tray and everything that was on it. Nobody came to pick it up, and even her boss did not yell after her. The latter was in the same state as the others.

Loud engine roars resonated in the street, right outside the bar. This time, Teebasha could not ignore them. However, she did not look up, and kept reading the notices. As an experimented pilot, she could recognise the sound of every starship without even looking. And she knew that those were TIE Fighters.

The front doors of the bar flew wide open and hit the walls loudly, as a group of Stormtroopers burst in. Some customers screamed, but they quickly got shot by the soldiers. Heavy footsteps made their way to the bar, and they stopped at the doorframe. Everyone was holding their breaths, staring at the tall and threatening figure standing there.

"Everybody _OUT_!" a silver Stormtrooper holding an impressive blaster barked.

And they did not need to be told twice. Everyone hurried for the exit, except R2 and Teebasha, who was silently drinking her beverage, whilst reading another wanted notice. Soon enough, the bar was empty, and only the soldiers, their captain, and the tall figure remained, as well as the bounty hunter and her droid.

The hooded silhouette stepped heavily towards her, and pulled the chair in front of her without asking for the permission, and sat down on it. It stared at her, but she did not even flinch. It was as though it was invisible.

"Teebasha Varn," it spoke in a loud, low, and robotic voice, "I was longing to meet you."

She brought her glass to her lips once again and drank another gulp, whilst R2 was beeping in fear. The stranger waited for an answer in vain.

"I had believed you would be civilised enough to answer me when I would speak to you."

She tapped her fingers on her glass and put down the notice she was holding in her other hand – only to grab another one. The stranger clenched his fist and threw her glass across the room. It shattered noisily on the floor, and its remaining content left a large alcoholic puddle.

Teebasha inhaled deeply and finally spoke without looking up.

"Kylo Ren, I see you still have to live with those anger issues. How regrettable, this beverage was extremely delicious. It reminded me of my new home planet. Now it looks like I've paid it for nothing."

"Enough about this meaningless drink!" he roared, before taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself down. "I have been searching for you everywhere in the Galaxy. Finally, I've found you. I had to track you."

"What an honour."

The hunter let out a sarcastic chuckle and laid the sheet of paper on the table, eventually looking up to her discussion partner.

Kylo Ren was resting an elbow on the table, and his gloved fist was clenched. She glanced at the man dressed entirely in black. She quickly spotted his famous lightsaber, which he wore at his belt. The hood covering the top of his head also hid the top of his helmet, which he seemed to never remove. She had seen it a few times already, so she noticed it was cleaner than usual. It actually looked new.

"New helmet, maybe? Did you grow tired of the previous one?"

"I did not hunt you down to hear your comments about my appearance, Varn! I advise you not to be sassy with me. Don't play this game with me, you will lose anyway."

Teebasha laughed and crossed her arms against her chest. She rested her right ankle on top of her left knee, and the smile on her face faded out.

"Why did you hunt me down, Kylo Ren? Do you consider me to be a threat to the First Order or something? If it can comfort you, let me assure you that I couldn't care less about the First Order, or even the Resistance for that matter."

"Captain Phasma," he called coldly.

"Yes, my Lord?" the silver Stormtrooper took a step forward.

"Tell your soldiers to get out of here. Stay outside, too."

Captain Phasma nodded and ordered her bunch of Stormtroopers to leave the bar. They stood in a line and walked out one by one, until their captain was the last to get out. Meanwhile, Kylo kept staring at his target, smiling under his helmet.

"I suppose you know what your reputation says about you," he started.

"Absolutely not. What does it say?"

Kylo slammed his fist on the table, earning a smirk from the hunter.

"I know you can feel the Force," he carried on, "I know you are sensitive to it. Using it for your meaningless missions is a huge waste of time and power."

"Perhaps we don't share the same opinion about the Force. The Force helps me get rid of smugglers and other criminals."

"Smugglers like Vonar Horle?"

Teebasha's smirk disappeared immediately. She sat up on her chair, glaring at Kylo, squinting her eyes a little.

"How do you know about Vonar Horle?"

"I found his head inside your Jedi Interceptor. I hope you will forgive me for rummaging through it."

"Whatever."

Kylo leant closer, his mask stopping a few inches away from her face. She did not look down at any moment. She lifted up her chin, showing she was not remotely impressed.

"You could use the Force to reach higher purposes. You could use it and learn more about it. You never had a proper training. You have no idea how powerful the Force can be."

"Don't underestimate me, Kylo Ren. I am far from being novice."

The two remained silent for a while, only staring at each other, although Teebasha could not see Kylo's eyes. R2 brought his attention to his friend, then to Kylo, then back to his friend, then back to Kylo. He let out a beep of confusion, but the two others decided to ignore it.

However, after two minutes of deep silence, a chuckle came out of Kylo's throat.

"How curious. I can't read your mind at all. But I can sense your frustration. You are tired of being a bounty hunter. You secretly hate this occupation, don't you?"

"This is none of your business."

Kylo unexpectedly grasped her arm, making her wince lightly.

"I can teach you, Teebasha. I can teach you everything about the Force. I had a proper training. I can teach you how to use it at any time, under any circumstances. Follow me, and you will become someone entirely new. You'll be more powerful."

"Why should I trust you? Aren't you the person who blew up several planets a year ago? Aren't you the person who also burnt down my family's house?"

"Supreme Leader Snoke ordered General Hux to blow up those planets. I didn't blow them up myself. As for your family's house, you already murdered the culprit. Yesterday."

Teebasha looked down and held her sister's locket in her hand. She had always despised the First Order, yet Kylo Ren's proposal was more than tempting. He was right; she hated being a bounty hunter. Unfortunately, her lack of money forced her into continuing. Now she owned the proof that she had killed the most famous smuggler of his time, money would never be an issue anymore. But what would she do once she would stop her activity? She did not want to live in that cave forever. She wanted to remain close to Natelo'or, but she knew she would be terrible at working in a farm or anything else of that kind.

Moreover, she had always wanted to push the limits of her sensitivity to the Force. It fascinated her. She desperately wanted to progress and learn everything that would help her use it wisely and master it. This thirst of knowledge had never left her, and she was ready to follow any path to satisfy it. Why would she care about politics? She did not want to get involved.

Kylo Ren was one of the most powerful Force sensitive being in the whole Galaxy. What could prevent her from following him?

Teebasha freed her arm from his grip and stood upright, tearing the wanted notices. She let their pieces land on the table, and looked up at Kylo. The latter rose from his chair and kept his fists clenched beside his thighs.

The young woman took a step forward and spoke.

"No need to knock me out or tie my hands behind my back. I have feet, and I can walk."

"Good. However, you won't need your droid anymore. Leave it here."

Teebasha turned to R2, who rolled up to her sadly. She knelt down before him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm going to miss you very badly, R2. Find the Interceptor and fly back to Ryloth. Tell Natelo'or that I'm sorry. You will stay with him from now on, alright?"

The droid made a few beeps, and bumped into her, which she understood was a sign of affection.

"Be nice to Natelo'or. If I ever come back to Ryloth, I'll pick you up and take you with me."

"Hurry up. I hate being kept waiting," Kylo commanded.

Teebasha turned to R2 one last time and kissed its metallic head.

"I must leave you now, R2. Good luck, my friend. I love you."

R2 beeped sadly and helplessly watched her walk away with Kylo Ren. As she reached the doorframe, she looked back at her droid and winked at him.

Then, she left.


	5. Chapter 4

Passers-by stopped in their tracks and stared silently and fearfully at the group making its way through the crowd. At first, they only noticed the armed people in black and white armours, pushing those who stood in their way. But then, something else caught their attention. The tall, menacing figure of the hooded man with his fists clenched as he followed and led the others at the same time. Although they were holding their breaths, the bystanders were grateful that the man did not turn his head to look at them. They were wallflowers, and they were satisfied by that.

The group reached the border of Ord Mantell City and crossed it without turning back. Teebasha, who was following Kylo closely but not too much, looked all around, trying to distract herself. Since they had left the bar, not a word had been spoken, and the only sounds they could hear were the synchronised footsteps of the Stormtroopers, and Kylo's heavy ones. When Kylo's Command shuttle appeared in the desert landscape, with its wings folded up above its head, Teebasha felt like running away. She knew what she was getting herself into, but the sight of the ship that symbolised the sudden turning point in her life made her feel nauseous. Her stomach was hurting, as if her internal organs were writhing.

Whilst the platform was slowly lowering, Teebasha cleared her throat. Kylo turned to her and planted his feet in the ground, waiting for her to speak.

"Shouldn't we wait for Captain Phasma?" she uttered in a slightly trembling voice.

"She has her own shuttle. The other Stormtroopers are leaving with her," he answered in his low and neutral voice. "Why are you suddenly worrying about Phasma?"

"I don't know, I was thinking she would stay on your side at all times."

"Now you understand she's not," Kylo snapped. "Board the ship."

Teebasha sighed and climbed the platform, entering the famous Command shuttle. Everything inside it was disturbing and murky. It seemed plunged into constant darkness, and the only sources of light were the red and white neon lights embedded in the walls. Teebasha shivered as the coldness of the air suddenly hit her.

"Varn," Kylo called her, "follow me."

The young woman nodded and followed him, forcing herself to take larger steps so she would not get lost in the endless corridors. After two minutes of walking in the deepest of silence, Kylo's clanking steps stopped at a door. He lifted his hand and waved it, opening the door.

"This is where you're staying during this flight," he said. "I'll pick you up myself when we land."

"Well, thank you," Teebasha scoffed, hearing him walking away. She frowned and turned to him. "Kylo Ren!"

"What is it?!" he replied, visibly upset, without looking at her.

"I have a question. What happened to the customers of the bar on Ord Mantell? Did you harm them?"

Kylo's heavy breath resonated in the corridor. Teebasha cursed herself for asking that silly question. However, she knew she needed him to be honest with her if he really wanted to take her as his apprentice. His new mentor slowly spun round to face her.

"Captain Phasma took care of them. If anything happened to them, I am not to be held responsible. Keep that in mind."

Teebasha nodded and entered the room he had assigned to her. As soon as she was in, the door slammed abruptly, startling her. Much to her dismay, the room was no different from the corridors and the rest of the shuttle; it was just as gloomy, for it had no window at all. It was not very large, but since she was going to stay there on her own, Teebasha did not care. On the left there was a long black bench, but she quickly it could be used as a bed during long journeys. She was pretty sure Kylo had his own spacious and luxurious room somewhere in that labyrinth.

Letting out a sigh, she sat on the bench bed and crossed her legs, slipping her hands under her thighs to warm them a little. She wondered how long the trip to the First Order base would last. There was nothing to do where she was, and she already was dying of boredom. Why did Kylo lock her inside that room, instead of keeping her near him so he would explain her what the point of her training would be, or what she could learn? She highly doubted that he had left her in this room to let her take the time to accept her new situation.

An hour passed, and it felt like an eternity. Teebasha was lying on her back, a hand under her head, and she was staring at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. She was wondering if R2 had managed to reach Ryloth without any unwanted encounters. She hoped he was free from any looter that could sell its parts, as well as those of the Interceptor.

She sat up and sighed. She could not think about her previous life. Not anymore. Henceforth, she belonged to the First Order, and it was irrevocable.

She tapped her foot on the floor, and an unexpected metallic sound filled the room. She stopped moving and leant forward with a frown to identify the source of that noise. Under the sole of her dirty boot, there was a tiny ring, which probably belonged to the last person who occupied the room.

With a smirk, Teebasha stared intently at the item, using the power of her mind to levitate it. She crossed her arms and watched it fly across the room with an amused look, glad that she eventually found a way to distract herself.

Suddenly, the door flew wide open, revealing Kylo standing at the doorstep. Startled by this unexpected interruption, her focus on the ring faded, and the item crashed on the floor, bouncing four times before it stopped moving.

Kylo entered the room and stood in front of her, looking down at her. Teebasha was shivering, guessing he had not come to her to announce her they had arrived.

"I felt you were using the Force," he spoke in a neutral tone. "What were you using it for?"

"I-I was only levitating this ring I found on the floor."

"Were you training in advance?"

There was something in his tone that made her believe he was joking, even though she could hear that he was not smiling at all. She allowed herself to and scoffed.

"No, of course not. I was impatiently waiting for my Master."

Kylo silently leant against the opposite wall. He rubbed his wrist with the palm of his gloved hand without breaking eye-contact with her. Teebasha stood up and showed him the bench.

"Would you like to have a seat? I'm tired of sitting down anyway."

The knight hesitantly went up to the bench. He proceeded to sit down, under Teebasha's look. The latter frowned as she heard a muffled gasp coming from him, and she noticed he was pressing his hand against his left side. He quickly removed his hand, secretly hoping she did not see or hear him. Teebasha pretended to scrape her nail clean.

"We're starting your training right now," he declared. "Let's say I'm going to test your ability to use the Force. I assume you're familiar with the word 'telepathy'."

"More than you can imagine," she smirked.

Kylo hastily held out his hand towards her, and Teebasha's smile turned into a frown instead, as she could feel him attempting to read her mind. She resisted as hard as she could, her whole body tensing up so much she was shuddering. She clenched her fists, focusing on the black transparent glass behind which she knew she would find his eyes. She tried to pierce it and distinguish the eyes not so many people had seen, in vain.

"Interesting," Kylo observed quietly, "you have a strong resistance. But you still need to learn how to resist it without using your body."

"Was it because you made the same mistake that you were holding your side earlier? Is your body still sore?"

She caught him off guard and felt his power weakening. She used the situation to her advantage and used the Force on him instead. His body froze, and he found it hard to resist.

"You're suffering, Kylo Ren," she spoke confidently, although she was taken aback by what she could see. "There's this emotional pain burning inside you… You lost someone, and you've lost yourself…"

"Stop it" he mumbled.

"You're hiding a secret… An important secret…"

"I SAID: _STOP IT!_ "

Kylo rose from his seat and lifted her in the air without touching her. She shook her legs, desperately trying to touch the floor. Suddenly, she started to gasp for air. She saw him cupping his hand towards her, strangling her using a mind trick.

"Remember… training…" she hissed painfully.

Much to her relief, Kylo put her down and let go of her. She held on to the wall, her legs quaking as she took deep yet hurried breaths, resting her hand on her neck. Behind her, her new mentor clenched his fist and grabbed his lightsaber, turning it on. The three red blades jutted out of the hilt, startling Teebasha, who was now facing it.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Kylo did not answer and turned away instead, his hand holding the weapon trembling as he waited. Teebasha gulped and wedged one of her two thin braids behind her ear.

"Control your anger, Kylo Ren, keep it for later. Your use of the dark side of the Force will be even stronger if you keep it for yourself until you allow yourself to explode," she whispered loud enough for him to hear over the noise his lightsaber made.

He slowly turned to her and glanced down at his weapon. He shook his head and turned it off. Teebasha grinned and held herself upright.

"Good. You did very well," she murmured.

Kylo rushed towards the door and stopped there, before glaring at her.

"We have landed," he snapped. "Get out of here."


	6. Chapter 5

The Stormtroopers lined up on either side of the exit, lifting up their chins and keeping their blasters in their hands. Kylo was standing between them, facing the platform, which immediately started to lower, enabling a stronger source of light to penetrate the shuttle. When finally the short walkway touched the ground, his boots clanked as he moved forward. Teebasha followed him closely while she discovered the starship shed of the Star Destroyer for the very first time.

What struck her first were the high and neat alignments of TIE Fighters on each side of the shed, which were safely kept to the ground by thick and robust chains. She had seen them in action a few times, flying through the Galaxy when she did, but never had she realised they were this big.

Everything in the shed was clean and well-organised, yet the atmosphere was not particularly warm. The place itself seemed cold with its vastness and its metallic landscape, and the people were not any nicer. There were Stormtroopers everywhere, walking in line to enter the Star Destroyer or trotting to their assigned vessels to start their new missions.

When Teebasha looked up, she noticed an imposing control room. If she squinted her eyes a little, she could distinguish people dressed all in black sitting behind the windows, controlling the arrivals and allowing departures according to what their superiors had decided.

Back to reality, she realised she had slowed her speed, as Kylo was standing far ahead from her, next to Captain Phasma. Teebasha trotted up to them, and as she stopped beside her new mentor, she heard him grumble behind his mask. She ignored him and faced Phasma instead.

"Captain Phasma," Kylo started, "take Varn to her assigned room, and make sure she stays in it until I get back."

"Yes, my Lord," the silver Stormtrooper answered in her robotic voice.

Teebasha glanced at Kylo, who immediately walked away, heading towards the control room. She heard Phasma clearing her throat and fell into step behind her. They crossed several corridors, with bright white neon lights built in the walls; everything was symmetrical and purely identical.

Kylo's new apprentice cringed as they ventured farther inside the gigantic ship, wondering when they would finally reach their destination. She also pondered over how so many people lived there and never got lost.

"Um, excuse me, Captain Phasma?" she spoke. "Do you know if anybody would be willing to show me around? Everything looks the same here, I don't know if I'll even be able to go to the bathroom."

Phasma remained silent, tapping her armoured fingers on the side of her blaster. The young woman sighed and insisted.

"Captain, I think I really need to be shown where the main rooms are, so I can get to them. What if Kylo Ren asks me to join him to his training room and I don't know where it is? I don't want to get into trouble."

"Listen here, chatterbox," the captain snapped, abruptly turning to her and pointing her blaster at her chest, "I am _not_ your friend. I am _not_ here to show you around either. Nobody on this ship is here to show you around like you're a princess settling in a new castle. So keep your mouth shut."

Phasma shook her head and made her way to the room, which was two corridors away from where they stopped. Teebasha rolled her eyes and kept following the Stormtrooper, slouching. When they finally reached the right corridor, Phasma typed a code on a small touch screen, which opened the door of Teebasha's new room.

"You're not going out until Kylo Ren allows you to," Phasma ordered her.

"How nice."

Teebasha walked in, and as she expected, the door shut behind her. Her bedroom was a bit bigger than the one she had stayed in inside Kylo's shuttle. It had a single bed against the wall on the right, with folded clean sheets on the mattress. Right in front of it stood an empty narrow cupboard, which she knew would remain empty, since she did not have any belonging with her aside from her backpack. Next to the cupboard was a door leading to a dim bathroom with no mirrors.

She let out a sigh and dropped her backpack on the floor. She walked over to the bed and proceeded to make it. Once she was done, she sat on it and pulled on the chain around her neck, examining the details of her sister's locket.

She remembered the day she had given it to Lyyra on her birthday. She smiled as she recalled Lyyra's face lighting up as she immediately putting it around her neck and admiring it every two seconds. From then on, she had always worn it, even at night, even during massive fights with her. This locket was the symbol of their mutual love, and it had been abandoned under a pile of ashes. Had it been voluntary? Had it been an accident?

Teebasha was afraid she would never get to know.

The door opened with a thump, startling the young woman. She instinctively put her hand on her chest as she saw Kylo walking in.

"You have a thing for bursting in randomly and scaring the shit out of people, don't you?" she snapped with a frown.

Kylo turned to her and started to laugh. Teebasha cringed and tensed up: hearing _Kylo Ren_ laughing was actually terrifying.

The latter stood in front of her, his fists on his hips, as he threw a quick look around him. Then, he faced her and knelt down.

"I hope this room isn't too small for you," he said in a surprisingly sincere tone.

"It sure is bigger than what you took me to aboard your Upsilon."

"I apologise for this inconvenience. Don't worry, it's only temporary."

"Bloody hell, what did you do to Kylo Ren? Where's the real one? Y'know, the unsympathetic bloke!"

Another chuckle came out from his throat, which still brought a grin to her lips. Kylo pulled his hood, unveiling the top and back of his helmet. It looked tiny on his head and broad shoulders, but in the end, Teebasha was not particularly impressed.

"I didn't know I was supposed to be a full-time monster," he joked.

"Mh, but understand me: you've not really been the nicest since we met."

Kylo sighed and rose, pacing up and down. He rubbed the back of his neck as his mind got distracted by a mountain of thoughts. He cleared his throat and turned to his new apprentice again.

"Your training starts tomorrow morning," he declared in a serious tone. "I'll pick you up to show you the way. You'll have to memorise it, because I won't bother picking you up every day. Also, I hate it when people show up late to our appointments. Consider your training hours as appointments."

"Yes, sir. Or shall I call you 'my Lord'?"

"Call me Kylo Ren, period," he snapped. "And don't be so friendly with me. You have to respect me. I am your mentor, I am your Master. Any questions?"

"Yes, Master Ren."

Teebasha stood up and stretched her back, letting out a sigh of relief. She crossed her arms across her chest and faced Kylo.

"In that bar on Ord Mantell, you told me you had been looking for me across the Galaxy. You didn't give me an explanation. You just persuaded me to become your apprentice. But how could a bounty hunter be of any use to the First Order? Or even to the Knights of Ren?"

Kylo stared at her intently but did not answer. Teebasha started to lose patience after a minute and went up to him.

"I expect an answer from you! What am I doing here?"

"I told you to respect me!" Kylo shouted. "I will tell you once I'll test all your skills."

"Yeah, sure! You're going to forget it, or you're going to ignore me purposely!"

"And what if I promise you I will?" he replied, before resting a hand on her shoulder sympathetically. "I promise."

Teebasha glanced at him with round eyes, obviously not expecting this kind of gesture coming from him. Realising the awkwardness of the situation, Kylo removed his hand and cleared his throat, internally cursing himself for acting too friendly. He clenched his fists and made his way to the door. He waved his hand, opening it using the Force.

"Follow me, Varn," he ordered curtly. "Supreme Leader Snoke wants to meet you."


	7. Chapter 6

Teebasha struggled to follow Kylo's quick steps through the corridors of the Finalizer, heading towards the room where they would meet Supreme Leader Snoke. She was not saying a word, being utterly nervous at the idea of finding herself face to face with the man who terrorised the entire Galaxy. Moreover, she knew she would not be alone in there, and that Kylo would stay; it felt reassuring in a way, as she was used to his presence already, yet he knew what Snoke would want to hear, whereas she had no idea.

Kylo stopped in front of a door, but did not open it straight away. Instead, he turned to his new apprentice and stared at her.

"Be careful, Varn," he warned her, "he is the most important figure of the First Order, keep that in mind. Don't behave like a child, and control your feelings. He won't be there physically, but he'll be able to read what's in your mind nonetheless."

"What kind of things is he going to ask me?"

"I don't know. He'll try to know you better, so he'll probably ask you about your former occupation. If he asks you about the reason why you accepted to join us, don't tell him the truth."

"You don't even know why I accepted."

The commandant laughed, startling her. Quite annoyed by his reaction, she crossed her arms and tilted her hip, cocking an eyebrow.

"You're here because you have this strong will to progress. You want to know more about the Force, and you love learning things."

"Impressive, Kylo Ren," she snapped although she was taken aback.

"Did you think I was an idiot? I still could feel why you joined us. So don't tell Snoke that. Say what he wants to hear."

"My new mentor's asking me to lie to the Supreme Leader? Well. I'll try to come up with something, but I highly doubt I'll be convincing."

"Just use your brain."

Kylo turned to the door and waved his hand to open it vertically. It clanked, and Teebasha gulped as she could catch a glimpse of the room. She saw a pale man in a black uniform standing upright, facing a holographic figure talking to him. The man stole a glance at Kylo and her and his whole body seemed to tense up.

She touched Kylo's arm, which startled him and annoyed him deeply, forcing him into looking at her. Without turning to him, she whispered to her mentor.

"Who is he?"

"That's General Hux," he murmured back.

"Oh, the famous Hux…"

"Please, don't give him this pleasure."

She frowned and before she could ask for an explanation, Kylo made his way to Hux, who bowed down to the holographic figure and left the room, throwing both Kylo and Teebasha a death glare. The young woman walked up to Kylo, staying behind him as she looked at the figure.

Supreme Leader Snoke appeared menacing and huge, even through the holoprojector. He was sitting on what seemed to be a throne, his long robe covering his whole body. Only his face and bony hands could be seen. Teebasha's hands started to shake as she noticed how mutilated he was. A long scar crossed his bald skull, and there seemed to be holes in his skin. Smaller scars surrounded his mouth, as though he had been burnt. Besides, one of his ears looked tiny compared to the other.

Kylo looked up at his superior and stepped aside to reveal Teebasha. She gulped and turned pale in a second.

"Supreme Leader," her mentor started, "here is Teebasha Varn, my new apprentice."

"Um, hello," Teebasha's hesitant voice echoed in the room.

Immediately after she spoke, Kylo elbowed her in the ribs. She cleared her throat and shook her head. She faced Snoke, whose eyes were examining her thoroughly.

"Supreme Leader, it is an honour to meet you," she corrected herself.

"I have heard a lot of things about you, Teebasha Varn," Snoke's spine-chilling voice resonated in the room. "Kylo Ren was determined to find you and take you under his wing."

"I am glad that he found me. I cannot wait to acquire new skills in order to use the Force wisely."

Snoke leant back as he squinted his eyes. His bony fingers tapped the arm of the stone throne. Kylo stared at him, gulping silently behind his mask.

"Rumours had it that you were a brilliant bounty hunter," Snoke said, "what made you quit your occupation?"

"My fascination and my interest in the First Order," she answered without thinking. "When Kylo Ren found me and asked me to become his apprentice, I could not say no. I knew this was my only opportunity to join the First Order and become its servant."

Kylo smiled in approval, glad that nobody could see through his helmet. Snoke imitated him and pointed at her with his long finger.

"Your motivation is honourable. However… I can sense that something is perturbing you, Teebasha Varn. It has something to do with your past… With your family…"

Teebasha took a deep breath, nervously digging her nails in the palm of her hands. She lifted up her chin, and her eyes met Snoke's dark gaze.

"My childhood home on Ord Mantell burnt down. I have left my family fifteen years ago, and I haven't seen them since that day. When I landed near Ord Mantell City after I completed my last mission, I went to see the house, but I found nothing but ruins and ashes. Kylo Ren told me that Vonar Horle was the one who did this, but I ignore if they are safe."

"Kylo Ren was right. Vonar Horle was the one who burnt your family's house. I have been informed that you killed him near the lakes of Ord Mantell," the disfigured man affirmed. "Horle occasionally worked for me, and I asked him to track you to help Kylo Ren. This probably happened during his mission."

Kylo abruptly turned to Teebasha, whose body was shaking in anger. He glanced at Snoke confusedly but did not utter a single word, knowing that him taking part would not be welcome.

Snoke sniggered and leant forward; a beam of light shone on his face from the window. His disfigured face looked even more terrifying. His lips and his scars twisted into a fixed grin.

"You are furious, Teebasha Varn. Keep your anger inside you. Use it for good. You still have a lot to learn" his voice echoed like thunder. "The Force is strong with you, but you cannot even tell if your family is safe?"

"My family and I do not have a strong connection."

"Not even you and your sister, Lyyra?"

Teebasha clenched her fists, and Kylo discreetly grabbed her wrist. She glared at him and took a deep breath, trying to relax. Snoke turned to Kylo, who immediately let go of her.

"The plans of a new weapon are being made," he started, changing the subject. "This one will be more powerful than the Starkiller Base was. It will be bigger as well."

"Has General Hux been informed about this?" Kylo asked in a neutral tone. "He will have to change the way he trains his soldiers."

"He knows. We must build this weapon as soon as possible. We must wipe out the Resistance. It will be much easier now, since your father will never get in our way again."

The young woman's eyebrows knitted together as she pondered over who Kylo's father was. It was obvious that he had been killed, but why would Kylo Ren's father get in the First Order's way? Had he been someone important enough to be considered a threat by Snoke?

She turned to her new mentor, trying to guess his state of mind by his appearance, but he stayed neutral, his chin up as he talked to his superior.

Teebasha joined her hands and took a deep breath, trying to follow the discussion.

"A new base will be built," Snoke declared proudly, "we will be able to blast the Resistance's base, then the New Republic. And finally, we will rule the Galaxy."

"You cannot be serious."

The two men turned their heads towards Teebasha, who could not help but laugh. Supreme Leader Snoke gritted his teeth, mumbling to himself.

"I think you should reconsider your choice in weapons," she shared. "It was proven to you that it did not work. The two Death Stars of the Empire were blown up by the Rebels, and it almost was a piece of cake for them. They just had to enter the base, find a specific element of the weapon and shoot it. The exact same thing happened with the Starkiller Base. You built it the same way as the Death Stars and it was ruined as easily by the Resistance. Why do you insist? I am sure there are tons of other options to solve your problems with the enemy."

A loud sigh escaped from the speakers embedded in Kylo's helmet. Snoke slammed his fist on the arm of his throne; he stood up and raised his voice.

"What other solution do you suggest? What other weapon would you use to represent a real threat to your enemies?"

Teebasha smirked and snickered, cocking an eyebrow as her gaze met Snoke's.

"Aren't you supposed to be the leader? Aren't you supposed to be the heart and the brain of the First Order?"

"Kylo Ren!" he roared. "Watch your apprentice! I will not accept some sassy scum amongst the First Order!"

"I apologise, Supreme Leader," Kylo replied. "She is not used to having superiors yet, she has always been her own boss. I will tame her, Supreme Leader."

"You'd better teach her to behave. Our conversation is over. Keep in mind that this training is serious. She will be of great use to help us wipe out the Resistance. And we will."

Suddenly, the hologram disappeared, leaving the room in the dark. Kylo turned on the neon lights again and proceeded to turn off the holoprojector. Teebasha remained silent as she paced up and down behind him.

Before she could even understand what was happening, she was shoved into the wall. She opened her eyes and saw Kylo's mask a few inches from her face. He had grabbed her shoulders, and his fingers dug into her skin through his gloves and her shirt.

" _Have you lost your mind?!_ " he yelled. "I told you to keep in mind that Supreme Leader Snoke is someone important! I told you to behave! He can have you _killed_!"

Teebasha pushed him away and abruptly punched him in the chest, forcing him into bending in two. Kylo tried to defend himself using the Force, but she reacted faster and immobilised him. He groaned and stared at her as she clenched her fists and kept pacing up and down.

Kylo cursed himself for being so weak. It was not the first time that she had managed to dominate him. She could resist him but also stop him. Nobody else had ever been strong enough to take him aback like she did. She was obviously as strong as him, even though she had never had any mentor before to teach her how to use the Force. It was coming to her naturally, and the intensity of her anger increased her powers.

For a moment, he was afraid that he would not teach her as much as he had hoped he would. He feared that she already was even stronger than him.

The young woman went up to him, the soles of her boots hitting the metallic floor loudly.

" _YOU MURDERED MY FAMILY!_ " she screamed, feeling weak in the knees. "You said I killed the culprit, but you are as guilty as Vonar Horle was!"

"I am not responsible for what happened to your family!" he protested. "I didn't know Horle worked with us!"

"Yeah, sure, you didn't know!" she laughed sarcastically. "I am not dumb enough to believe you, Kylo Ren. You are the Commandant of the First Order, don't tell me you didn't know about your affiliation with Horle."

"Please, let go of me and let me explain."

She stared at him, breathing heavily as fire was burning in her eyes. She obeyed and let go of Kylo, who stood up and approached her.

"I knew Horle had burnt down your family's house. That's how I knew I had a chance to find you on Ord Mantell. One of your former neighbours alerted us about your presence in Ord Mantell City. He saw you in the ruins. But I had no idea that Horle worked for Snoke. We learnt about it at the same time, you and me."

Teebasha's knees gave in, and Kylo managed to grab her arm firmly before she would collapse. Her teary eyes looked up at him and a muffled sob escaped from her mouth. The commandant sighed and helped her up, quickly letting go of her arm.

"Let's take you back to your room."

Kylo stormed out, and Teebasha followed him, but not as closely as she did a few moments earlier. They crossed the identical corridors, but she did not pay attention to them this time. Her eyes were staring at her feet as she let tears stream down her face.

They reached her room, and Kylo opened the door. He glanced at her and crossed his arms.

"Go have some rest. I'll ask a Stormtrooper to bring you a new training outfit as well as your dinner."

Without answering, Teebasha walked in and made the door slam behind her, plunging the room into darkness.


	8. Chapter 7

Darkness slowly fell on Ord Mantell City, and only the lights of its core could be seen, as well as those coming from a few houses of the other quarters. The massive amount of artificial light hid the stars hanging in the sky, silently observing the planets they surrounded. Some houses fell silent, their owners heading to bed to get ready for their next day of labour, while some others went out to enjoy the nightlife of their hometown.

Teebasha wandered in the streets of the quarter where she was born, her eyes examining every detail that had seemed invisible to her as a child. A lopsided smile printed on her face, she endlessly moved forward, recognising the corners, the shops, the houses of her former neighbours, and eventually, her own one. She stood still in front of the beautiful house, all circular and tall. Her mother's favourite flowers still followed the small path that leads to the front door, whilst some exotic bushes marked out the limits of the Varns' property.

Everything seemed calm inside, for she could not hear a single sound coming out from any of the windows. Lyyra was not even rehearsing for her upcoming concert. It brought a wider smile to Teebasha's face: she probably was having some rest before the final day. A lump got stuck in her throat as she felt the urge to sneak in the house, climb the narrow stone stairs and make sure that her little sister was neither too cold or too warm under her covers. After that, she would walk up to her parents' bedroom to tuck in her disabled father and kiss her mother's forehead. For what would probably be the last time, she would read their names which she had carved on the headboard of their bed. _Tyris_ for her father, and _Araluu_ for her mother.

As she unconsciously stepped forward, the front door was kicked open. A loud, spine-chilling scream filled the night, and Teebasha recognised her mother's voice. She saw Vonar Horle grabbing her by the hair as she tried to escape, and beating her up with his staff. Teebasha ran up to him, holding out her blaster and pulled the trigger. Although the shots did get through him, they did not injure him at all. It was as though he was a ghost. She kept shooting, but no-one even turned their heads to her or even noticed her. The shots did not break Horle's grip on Araluu.

The ground suddenly turned a darker colour. The deep beige path disappeared under a thick red puddle. It did not take long for Teebasha to understand it was her mother bleeding out. She stood there, helpless, calling her desperately as tears started to stream down her face. Horle let go of Araluu, but the latter did not even sigh in relief or cry in pain. She was inert, pale, and her limbs were abnormally stiff.

Horle spun round and faced the house again, a horrible chuckle echoing in his throat. Another body was thrown outside, but this one was already dead. It took the young woman one second to recognise her father, with his legs amputated to the knees, and his left arm missing. Tyris' eyes were still wide open, and so was his mouth. This expression of terror and surprise would be forever printed on his face, and Teebasha could not do anything about it.

" _LET ME GO!_ "

A high-pitched voice resonated inside. One of Horle's henchmen walked out, holding a young woman by the arms. She was kicking him in the legs, but he was too strong to feel anything. Her long, dark hair was glued to her face and neck because of her sweat. Her willowy figure attempted to free itself, yet no matter how hard she tried, she did not even loosen the grip her assailant had on her.

" _Lyyra Varn_ ," Vonar Horle smiled contentedly, " _you are far prettier than what the villagers say_."

" _Coming from you, I won't take it as a compliment_ ," she spat at his face. " _What do you want from us?_ "

" _You know what I want_."

Teebasha's eyes were riveted on her little sister, who had grown a lot since she last saw her. Lyyra was only eight when she had left, and then, she was around twenty-three. She stared at her lovingly as she approached her, although she knew she could not see her. She reached out for her, but her hand only touched the air.

Horle unexpectedly slapped Lyyra, and Teebasha took a step back, gasping. Her sister started to laugh and looked back at him, flames of anger burning in her eyes.

" _Teebasha_ ," she spoke. " _You're looking for Teebasha. You expect me to tell you where you could find her I suppose? Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't betray her._ "

" _You're risking your life to protect the one who betrayed you and your family?_ "

Lyyra's bottom lip started to quiver as she remembered the day Teebasha left them without turning back. The latter's face drenched with tears turned to her, dreading what her sister would have to say. She held her breath as her mouth finally opened.

" _She didn't betray us. She wanted to protect us._ "

" _How naïve… Your sister abandoned all of you for her own comfort._ "

" _I know that she didn't. I haven't seen her or even heard from her since that day. So if you still expect me to tell you where she is, you're terribly mistaken. I don't know. And even if I knew, I wouldn't betray my sister for some coward scum._ "

Horle let out a groan and punched her in the jaw. Lyyra spat blood on the ground and breathed heavily. Teebasha watched her being tortured, helpless, when suddenly, Lyyra fell to her knees. Horle's henchman knelt down behind her and pressed the poisonous blade of his dagger against her throat, holding her head back by grabbing her hair.

Lyyra stared at Horle, who leant closer, his hideous face a few inches away from her beautiful one.

" _Teebasha will never be yours_."

Right after she pronounced those words, Horle's henchman slit her throat. Her body tensed up and started to shake, until she collapsed on the dirty ground, lifeless. Teebasha yelled in terror and fell to her knees, head in hands. She cried uncontrollably, her body quaking. From the corner of her eyes, she saw them throwing the three corpses inside the house, before setting it on fire, their cruel laughter filling the night.

Teebasha screamed and abruptly sat up. Contrary to what she expected, she was not in Ord Mantell City, but sitting in her bed, in her small bedroom aboard the Finalizer. Her fingers clutched the covers, as she tried to calm herself.

The first thing that came to her mind was what Snoke had told her the day before. " _The Force is strong with you, but you cannot even tell if your family is safe?_ " It had only been a matter of time. However, she wished she had never had those visions. Images of this nightmare passed before her eyes, and soon enough, she could hear the sounds again. The hoarse groans of pain escaping from her mother's mouth, the loud _thump!_ that had resonated after Horle's henchmen threw her father's lifeless body on the ground, and Lyyra's last words.

 _Teebasha will never be yours_.

The young woman buried her face in her hands and tried to take deeper breaths. She had to find something to do so she would not keep her mind focused on what she had seen. It obviously was not a regular nightmare; it was a vision. A premonition that had taken some time to come to her.

She pushed the covers and scanned the room, searching for something that could take her mind off those things, even for a minute or two. She caught a glimpse of her backpack, and remembered that all her weapons were inside it.

She held out her hand and used the Force to make her bag fly right into her hand. She clutched its shoulder strap and laid it down on her lap. She unzipped it and took out her blaster, examining it thoroughly to ensure it still was operational. She took out a piece of fabric from her bag and used it to dust the blaster, careful not to activate it.

Although she was finally doing something to distract herself, she was doing it absent-mindedly. This time, it was not her vision she was thinking about. She was thinking about Kylo. Since the conversation they had with Supreme Leader Snoke the day before, she had been mad at her new mentor. Yet, she had no idea why. He had told her he did not know about Horle working for Snoke occasionally, and that implied that he had not been told about Horle's mission either.

Nevertheless, she could sense Kylo had been sincere during their confrontation. She could not tell how she knew it deep inside, but the tone in his voice had been different than usual.

Besides, in only one day, she had seen more than one side of Kylo's personality, which was quite curious. When they met and boarded his Upsilon, he had been his _normal_ threatening and dreadful self. However, when he had come to her room and asked her about the size of it, he had acted caring and concerned towards her. Especially when she had collapsed in the middle of their conversation.

Kylo had a complex personality, sometimes contradictory. As she had seen in his mind when they practiced mental probing on each other, he was hiding an important secret. It seemed to weigh a lot on his shoulders. She promised to herself she would find out what it was.

Teebasha put down her blaster and her other weapons she had just dusted. She took a deep breath and looked down, suddenly recalling the empty tray laying around at the foot of her bed and her new training outfit. She stood up and undressed herself, throwing her clothes aside in a ball. She made her way to the bathroom and took a quick shower, washing her hair at the same time.

She stepped out of the shower and dried herself with a towel she found near the sink. Someone had probably brought it while she was sleeping, since it was not there before. She walked back to her room and grabbed her new outfit, which had been folded neatly. She found a black turtleneck, a pair of tight black trousers, and low black boots with skid-proof soles. She examined the fabric of the turtleneck and trousers, and noticed it was a self-repairing one.

Teebasha put them on and sat on her bed, letting out a sigh. She waited there a few minutes, wondering what time it was. She was startled by a loud knock on the door. She opened it using a mind trick, and Kylo appeared at the doorstep. He was wearing his usual outfit, as well as his helmet, covered with his hood.

"Good morning," he said. "I hope you feel better."

She threw him a death glare, and he immediately changed the subject.

"Follow me. It's time to start your training."

She rose from her seat and walked out with him, locking the door behind her. The corridors were unusually calm and silent. On their way to Kylo's training room, they did not encounter any Stormtrooper, or even Captain Phasma. They made it silently, and the soles of their boots were the only noises to be heard throughout the entire ship.

Teebasha saw Kylo stopping at a door, and she imitated him. He opened it, and both stepped in. The young woman looked all around her, fascinated by the size of the room. It was much larger than the room where they had talked to Snoke via holoprojector. There were some control panels against the walls, and a steel chair with embedded cuffs for hands and feet. Teebasha guessed it was used for questioning hostages. The room was illuminated differently than the corridors or anywhere else on the ship. Everywhere she went, the light was dim; but here, it was so bright it her dark skin reflected it.

She heard Kylo moving behind her. She turned to him and watched him remove his hood and cape, folding it neatly and putting them down on a machine. He stretched his back and warmed up his shoulders and arms.

"Today, we're going to test your ability to use mind tricks," he declared in his neutral robotic voice. "You already showed me that you could use mental probing skilfully."

"Do you expect me to show you how I can levitate things?" she snapped.

Kylo shook his head in annoyance and walked up to the door, waving his hand to open it. A Stormtrooper was standing behind it, and seemed startled by its sudden opening. Kylo pointed at the chair, and the soldier went up to it.

"Drop your weapon, AD-1911."

The Stormtrooper obeyed and dropped his weapon on the floor, his hands trembling as he settled on the chair. Kylo stood before him, leaning closer.

"Do you remember what I told you, AD-1911?"

"Y-Yes, my Lord."

"What did I tell you after that?"

"You told me that I had to keep it for myself, S-Sir."

"Keep it. At all costs."

Kylo stepped aside and faced Teebasha, this time. The young woman held her breath, pondering over what he would ask her to do.

Her mentor approached her and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I have told an important information to AD-1911. You must use mind tricks to force him into revealing this information to you. He's not Force-sensitive, like most of our hostages, so it will be a piece of cake for you. But you don't have the right to use mental probing straight away. Wait until you've used all your other options."

"Is that a sort of questioning simulation?"

"Exactly."

Kylo turned away and headed towards a dark corner, where he sat on a chair and watched the scene, his arms crossed.

Teebasha took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying to fit in her character. She pictured herself as Kylo confronting a hostage, probably from the Resistance. Her pulse quickened, and the anger that she had felt in her room earlier started to flow in her veins. She could feel the power of the Force taking hold of her, embracing her.

She opened her eyes and faced the Stormtrooper, her expression changing all of a sudden. She stepped forward and knelt down before him.

"AD-1911…" she said in a surprisingly low voice. "I know you're keeping some important information. If you want to get out of here alive, you'd better tell me."

"My mission is to keep it for myself, ma'am," AD-1911 snapped back.

Teebasha stood up and clenched her fists. She stared at the soldier, who had not taken off his helmet. Another face she could not see…

"You are making a terrible mistake, AD-1911. I always get what I want, effortlessly. No matter how hard you resist, I will get this information."

The Stormtrooper shook his head and his breathing intensified. Teebasha cupper her hand and reached it out in his direction. A sudden gagging noise echoed in the room, and AD-1911 desperately clawed at his neck, trying to get rid of the invisible grip around it, which was choking him.

"Tell me what you know," she ordered curtly.

"I won't tell you anything, ma'am. I have been told to keep this information for myself. And I will."

Teebasha pursed her lips and tightened the grip around AD-1911's neck. Kylo was still sitting in his corner, watching silently, his face hidden by the helmet.

"I'm telling it nicely one last time: tell me what you know."

"I-I can't…"

Letting out a groan of frustration, she levitated the Stormtrooper, leaving him suspended in mid-air, his armoured legs kicking all around. She turned her hand over, her palm facing the ceiling, and crooked her fingers. The soldier started to writhe in pain, screaming.

"If you want this to stop, tell me what you know!" she raised her voice.

"You will never know!"

The Stormtrooper unexpectedly flew closer to her, stopping only a few inches from her. Sobs started to come out of the speakers on either side of his helmet. He threw his head back, a small part of his neck showing. His veins were jutting out of his skin, which was drenched with sweat. Teebasha amplified her power, strangling him even harder.

"I b-beg you, ma'am…" AD-1911 cried. "Stop… Please, s-stop!"

"I won't stop until you give me what I'm expecting," she threatened in a quiet yet deep voice.

Kylo squinted his eyes under his helmet and focused on Teebasha. She was staring at AD-1911 furiously, whereas he had feared she would be too nice towards the Stormtrooper. He was impressed by what he saw and felt. Her power and fury were filling the room, bathing everything in their intensity.

It was obvious to him that her power came directly from the pain she felt due to the loss of her family. She had kept it for herself since the day before when Snoke revealed his affiliation with Vonar Horle. At this moment, she was exploding, exactly how she was supposed to.

Her mentor abruptly turned to the closest control panel, whose lights started to flicker, and the machine itself started to beep noisily. Whereas this sudden manifestation distracted Kylo, and even the Stormtrooper, Teebasha was imperturbable.

" _Now_ ," she heard inside her head, recognising Kylo's voice, " _read what's in his mind. But don't stop there._ "

Teebasha nodded discreetly and let go of the Stormtrooper, who fell heavily on the floor. He whined and raised his hand to his neck, massaging it as he kept crying. Kylo's new apprentice approached him and kicked him in the side, forcing him to lie on his back. She kept a foot on his shoulder and stared at him intently, holding out her cupped hand in his direction.

AD-1911's body tensed up once again, and he let out a high-pitched scream. She was effortlessly getting inside his head.

"You are scared, AD-1911," Teebasha smirked, playing with him. "Not only do I scare you, but you feel overwhelmed by what the First Order expects you to do. You believe you've killed enough. Last night, you cried yourself to sleep."

"P-Please," AD-1911 begged, "get out of my head…"

Teebasha kept wandering inside the soldier's mind; after a few more seconds of playing, she read something that might have been what Kylo had told him to keep secret. She instantly stopped probing his thoughts and choked him once again.

"TELL ME WHAT KYLO REN HAS TOLD YOU!"

"F-Fine! Fine! I'll tell you! P-Please!"

"Tell me now!"

"K-Kylo Ren told me…" he gave in, finding it difficult to speak, "… he told me that the First Order was going to build another weapon similar to the Starkiller Base, twice bigger, and twice stronger."

She nodded discreetly, satisfied that it was what she had seen in his head. However, she did not free him immediately.

"There's a detail you haven't told me about," she spat.

"The new base… It will be directly led by Supreme Leader Snoke himself."

"Alright, let go of him, now," Kylo's voice rose in the room.

Teebasha looked up to her mentor and freed AD-1911, who curled up in a ball, in tears. Kylo's heavy steps echoed in the training room, until he stopped next to the Stormtrooper.

"Get up, AD-1911."

The Stormtrooper struggled to stand up, for his limbs were quaking uncontrollably. He held on to the steel chair, facing the tall man dressed all in black. Kylo abruptly shook his arm, and a bright red lightsaber blade appeared in a heartbeat, followed by two small perpendicular ones. From where she was standing, Teebasha grinned. She had always wanted to see Kylo Ren's lightsaber in action.

Kylo made his lightsaber spin before impaling AD-1911 with its blade. The Stormtrooper stiffened and gasped briefly, before his Master pulled the lightsaber out of his body. AD-1911 staggered backward and collapsed. He was no more.

Teebasha was staring at his body, chewing on her lip nervously.

"Why did you kill him?"

"If AD-1911 ended up revealing our secret, it means that he could easily tell everything to the enemy," he answered, turning off his lightsaber. "We can use the Force, but the Resistance can't. Except Luke Skywalker."

"Luke Skywalker joined the Resistance? But I thought he had disappeared."

"Rey found him."

She frowned, watching him walk over to the machine on which he had placed his cape. He grabbed it and put it on, pulling the hood over his helmet.

"It's time for a break. You did well, but you still have a lot to learn. You must feel exhausted, you should eat something."

He rushed to the door and opened it, with Teebasha falling into step behind him. He led her to a sort of cafeteria, with fruits and cooked meals displayed here and there. Teebasha's jaw dropped as she examined everything she could eat.

"You have an hour to eat and have some rest," Kylo said. "Then, meet me in the training room again. Brace yourself, we're going to test your fighting skills."

Without letting her reply, he left the cafeteria. Teebasha got closer to the many plates and pots full of food, and bit her lip. She was starving.

She picked up a tray and filled it with only fruits and vegetables. She did not know whether she was allowed to do it, but she left the cafeteria as well, heading towards her bedroom. On her way, she encountered several Stormtroopers who completely ignored her.

Using a mind trick, she opened the door of her bedroom, sneaking inside. She sat heavily on her bed, suddenly feeling empty and tired. She started to eat, feeling a huge relief taking hold of her guts.

Once she was done eating, she put down her tray on top of this she had eaten from the day before after the confrontation with Kylo. She crossed her legs on her bed and inspected each of her weapons, wondering which one she would take to the training room. She chose her loyal blaster, putting the others back inside her bag. However, something caught her eyes inside it.

The large cylinder wrapped up in an old cloth. What she had used to kill Vonar Horle.

She took it out and unwrapped it. Feeling it was almost time for her to leave for her training, she buried the cylinder inside her right boot. She jumped on her feet and left without looking back, with her blaster in her hand.


	9. Chapter 8

The robust soles of the young woman's boots hit the steel floor in a perfectly regular rhythm. She kept her chin up, mentally preparing herself for her upcoming fight. She was ignorant of how it would go, for she was aware that her opponent would not be inexperienced. It was not as if she was going to measure up to a random smuggler stupid enough to forget to carry a weapon wherever they go. It would be _Kylo Ren_ , the man whose mere name made anyone in the Galaxy shake in fear. However, that was not enough to frighten her.

Teebasha caught sight of the door of the training room far in front of her. She quickened her pace, but sudden shouts coming from the room stopped her in her tracks. Her eyebrows knitted together as she tiptoed to the door, her back to the wall. She leant closer and overheard two male voices arguing.

"Who _allowed_ you to kill one of _my_ soldiers, Kylo Ren?!" an unfamiliar voice blurted out with rage.

"You should probably reconsider your Stormtrooper training programme, General," Kylo snapped in a non-robotic voice, which startled his apprentice.

"AD-1911 was one of my best soldiers."

" _One of your best soldiers?_ " Kylo repeated, visibly amused. "Are you sure we are talking about the same AD-1911, General Hux? This one was a wimp!"

The young woman heard General Hux slam his fist on a machine, whilst Kylo's snicker resonated in the room.

"Your soldier did not take long to reveal the information I had given him."

"Your apprentice tortured him!"

"It is part of her training."

"And I did _not_ allow you to use my Stormtroopers for your stupid experiments, Ren! Now, will you excuse me, I have a weapon to build and an army to train."

Footsteps approached the door. Teebasha backed up, and it opened abruptly, revealing General Hux, still dressed in his black outfit, his red hair neatly combed. His pale blue eyes glared at her angrily, whilst his lips curled into a fixed grin of disdain.

" _MOVE OUT OF MY WAY, YOU SCUM!_ " he suddenly yelled at her.

Teebasha stepped aside, watching him walking away. She turned to Kylo, who had put his helmet back on. He was turning his back to her, breathing heavily as his fingers clutched the hilt of his lightsaber. She entered the room and closed the door behind her, then walked up to her mentor silently, staring at him with a bit of concern.

"Master?" she whispered. "Are you alright?"

Kylo slowly turned to her, quite taken aback that she would ask him this question. Nobody ever asked him that, even after he got severely injured after his fight with Finn and Rey. Until then, he had felt forgotten, as though he only was a frightening figure of the First Order. As if he only represented his helmet or lightsaber.

He gulped and looked down at his lightsaber, taking a deep breath.

"Yes," he eventually answered. "I'm alright."

Teebasha's lips curled into a shy smile. Kylo stood upright and spun round to face her completely. He started to slowly pace up and down, making the hilt of his lightsaber spin in his hand.

"You're right on time," he observed. "Good. After testing your mind tricks, we're going to test your fighting skills. As a former bounty hunter, you'll probably have no troubles using a weapon."

"I fear no weapon," she replied confidently, brandishing her blaster.

Kylo sniggered and turned on his lightsaber without pushing its button. The red, unstable blade jutted out from the metallic hilt, as well as the two smaller ones. Teebasha was grinning, her arms crossed.

"You didn't even flinch," Kylo stated. "How surprising."

His apprentice started to walk in a circle, with him following her, staring into each other's eyes, waiting for the right moment to begin the fight. She pointed at her mentor with her blaster, ready to shoot at any moment.

"Come on, Varn," he mocked, "do you really think a blaster will save you? You can't fight against me with a fire weapon."

Kylo turned off his lightsaber and made his way towards the control panels, next to which was a small bag. Teebasha promptly took out her cylinder from her boot and held it tightly in her hands, using her mind to turn it on. The sudden sound startled Kylo, whose body froze. He faced her slowly, his eyes widened under the helmet.

A stable purple blade was protruding from the metallic cylinder she was clutching, which obviously turned out to be a lightsaber.

"H-How did you get it?" Kylo stuttered in surprise.

"When I ran away from home, I had nothing but a book about Jedi arts and a lot of free time," she answered.

"Then it makes a fair fight."

Before he even finished his sentence, Kylo dived to hit her blade with his. She riposted several times, trying to make him drop his guard. Clash sounds emitted by the lightsabers filled the room as the mentor and his apprentice fought with ardour. Teebasha would sometimes spin nimbly to avoid his blade, or dive to catch him off guard and attack.

In order to catch their breaths for a few seconds, they parted away and faced each other. Droplets of sweat were dripping down Teebasha's face, and Kylo was in the same state under his suffocating helmet. He was tempted to remove it, but he did not: he needed to know Teebasha better to allow himself to take it off in front of her.

"You're pretty good at fighting," Kylo panted, "but you still have a few things to learn."

"Then teach me, Master."

Letting out a shout, Teebasha propelled herself in the air and attacked Kylo. The latter protected himself rapidly, before they started to break through each other's defence again. Kylo swiped at her feet, and she jumped to avoid the hit, their blades soon clashing together again for a long moment. They were face to face, staring at each other again, focused on every movement the other would make. Shades of red and purple gleamed on Kylo's chrome-plated helmet, and seemed to burn like wildfire in Teebasha's dark eyes.

"I think you need to learn some more things too," she whispered loud enough to cover the sounds of their weapons.

"What are you implying?"

Without a word, she suddenly ducked and hit him in his right side, earning a loud moan of pain from him. She stood in his back and kicked him there, making him lose his balance and fall. She stomped her foot on his chest, pinning him to the ground. She pointed at his neck with the tip of her blade, smiling lopsidedly.

"I've had so many opportunities to catch you off guard," she mocked him. "You're not careful enough. I thought you'd be."

A sudden thump in her calve made her trip and fall heavily on her side next to Kylo, who jumped on his feet straight away. It was his turn to point his lightsaber at her.

"You shouldn't speak too fast, Varn."

"Alright, but are we going to _fight_ , now?"

With an insolent stare, she rose from the ground and prepared herself to attack. Kylo groaned and swiped at her head; she ducked and evaded him without much effort. She backed up, her blade tilted in his direction. He spun his lightsaber with a flick of the wrist and hit hers using more strength. She lost her balance and her back hit the control panels.

Stuck at this spot, she tried to protect herself as much as she could, but most of the time, the tip of Kylo's blade would stab the machines and bunches of sparks flew right by her ears and hair. He blocked her with his lightsaber, pushing her lightsaber closer to her face. Teebasha growled and suddenly kicked him in the chest, cutting his breath.

Kylo staggered backwards, his gloved hand pressed against his torso. Teebasha flicked her wrist and clashed her blade against his, before hitting him right in the ankles with the side of her boot. He fell heavily on his back, dropping his lightsaber, which suddenly switched off. His apprentice pinned him to the floor again by placing a foot on his chest and lowering her blade near his helmet.

"Congratulations," he panted heavily, "you… You beat me."

Teebasha turned off her lightsaber and made his fly into her hand. She stepped aside and reached out her hand.

"Do you need help?"

Kylo stared at her silently, hesitating. However, the throbbing pain in his chest and in his side weakened him. He stretched out his arm and let Teebasha help him up. She handed him his lightsaber back with a smile. He grabbed it and groaned, staggering to the chair, leaning against it.

"Kylo Ren?" she called him softly. "Does your side hurt again?"

He turned his head to her and nodded slowly.

"A recent battle wound," he explained. "An enemy shot me with a bowcaster."

"Wait, did you get shot by a Wookiee?" she sneered, crossing her arms.

Kylo ignored her and attempted to stand upright again. He was finally breathing normally, but the pain he could feel throughout his whole body was still considerable. He walked up to her in a slow pace, holding his hand out.

"Can I see your lightsaber?" he spoke. "I'm not going to trap you and attack you."

Teebasha looked down at her weapon and handed it to him. His leather glove clenched the weapon, and lifted it carefully so his eyes could examine it more closely. The hilt was a light shade of grey, with a very specific shape. Four black sharp claws surrounded the blade, then beneath them, two small golden handles were welded to the top side of the cylinder. Between those handles, the hilt was thinner. At the bottom of the cylinder, she had screwed black plastic bits diagonally to protect the power cell area.

"Don't let that go to your head," her mentor started, "but your lightsaber may be better than mine. It wasn't built by novice hands."

"Thank you," she whispered, taking her lightsaber back.

Kylo crossed his arms and took a deep breath.

"You are very talented already when it comes to fighting," he spoke softly, which took her aback. "You still make some mistakes that you must fix. But I'll teach you that."

"I'm impatient to learn from you," Teebasha replied sincerely. "I will progress."

An almost inaudible chuckle sounded from the speakers of his helmet. She slid her lightsaber back in her boot and faced him again.

"What shall we do, now?"

"That's all for today," he answered. "You can go to your room or hang out in the cafeteria. Come back tomorrow morning at the same hour as this morning."

"Yes, Master."

She retrieved her blaster and headed towards the door. She opened it and turned her head to speak one last time.

"Have a nice day, Master."

Then, she left, the door closing noisily behind her. Kylo turned to it and allowed his lips to curl up into a smile under his helmet.


	10. Chapter 9

It took Teebasha three months of intensive training with Kylo to be allowed to watch him in action. In spite of his cold and authoritarian behaviour towards her, he grew prouder and prouder of his apprentice every day. She was improving herself quite fast, which impressed both of them. It was obvious to both Kylo and Snoke that she turned out to be even stronger than her own mentor. Teebasha would never turn down an offer to be taught more about some aspects of the Force, or to be told where she failed and how she could fix her mistakes. However, Teebasha was getting bored of staying on board of the Finalizer, unable to go out and follow her mentor during his missions.

One afternoon as they fought in the training room, they heard an explosion in the Star Destroyer. Teebasha backed up from Kylo, her lightsaber in hand, and her face lit by the flashing red light of the alarm. The ground quaked for a short moment, confusing her. She overheard many hurried footsteps outside the room, and the voices of Stormtroopers raising in the corridors.

"Master Ren," she spoke, facing her mentor, "what's happening?"

"I have no idea," he replied, speaking loud enough to cover the unbearable noise.

He turned off his lightsaber, hanging it to his belt; Teebasha imitated him and got ready to leave. He hurried up to the door, gesturing to his apprentice to follow her. Before he even raised his hand to use a mind trick, the door flew wide open, revealing a fidgety Hux.

"Kylo Ren," he started, his face even paler than usual, "there are intruders on board. A TIE Fighter entered the main hangar, but it wasn't one of our TIE pilots. He's with the Resistance."

" _And you let them in?!_ "

Kylo clenched his fists angrily and shoved General Hux in the wall on his right. Teebasha ran after him, internally laughing at Hux, who struggled to get up as he was a bit knocked out. She and Kylo silently made their way through the crowded corridors. How easier it was to cross them when you were accompanied by Kylo Ren: everyone would just clear the way.

"Bunch of idiots," she overheard Kylo grumbling unexpectedly, "incapable of guarding a hangar!"

Teebasha nervously stared at her mentor's back, her eyes focused on his asymmetrical cape bouncing against his spine. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a different-looking figure running through the perpendicular corridor. A tall black-haired man wearing a brown jacket.

" _Master!_ "

Before Kylo even had the time to spin round to face her, Teebasha set off in pursuit of the stranger. The soles of her boots slammed on the steel ground, filling the smaller corridors with a deafening noise. She was like a cheetah hunting down a prey, the wind blowing back her braids and the thin messy strands of hair dangling on her forehead. Never had she thought she could run this fast. Surprisingly enough, she did not hear Kylo following her.

Was he trusting her? Was he waiting for her to return, completely furious?

Eventually, Teebasha caught glimpse of the brown jacket not so far in front of her. She waited until she was close enough to propel herself in the air and land heavily on the stranger. She immediately grabbed his wrists and pulled them behind his back, making him grunt. She held both of his hands with one hand, pushing his black curls with the other one.

"Let go of me!" he grumbled.

"I won't give you this pleasure, lousy swine!"

Loud, clanky footsteps echoed at the other end of the corridor, startling both of them. The hostage looked up, his chin painfully crashed against the steel floor. Kylo appeared, his spine straightened up and his torso sticking out. He knelt down before the stranger, his elbow resting on his leg as he stared at him.

A soft snigger came out from the speakers embedded in his helmet.

"We meet again, Poe Dameron."

"My dreams finally come true," Poe whispered sarcastically.

"Varn, let go of him."

Teebasha nodded and freed his hands, standing up and stepping forward, facing the stranger. The latter sat up on his knees, rubbing his chin covered in stubble. He looked up, his brown eyes landing on Teebasha, before flying back to Kylo.

"I see you have a new apprentice. Too bad you didn't manage to get Rey."

"Shut up, Dameron!" Kylo roared. "Stand up. Varn, make sure he doesn't escape. Follow me."

Kylo's apprentice grabbed Poe by the arm and suddenly pulled him up on his feet, annoyed by his slowness. She clutched the back of his jacket, earning a death glare from him, as they followed the tall man dressed all in black. They walked in a cold silence, staring straight ahead, not paying attention to anything happening around them. Once or twice, Stormtroopers tried to accost Kylo, but he would just keep walking, ignoring them.

A few minutes later, they reached a door in the middle of a large blue corridor Teebasha had never seen before. Kylo opened it, and the three of them entered it. The room was much larger than the training room, and a similar chair stood in the middle of it. However, this one seemed newer and more robust.

Teebasha shoved Poe onto the chair and fastened the restraints around his wrists and ankles. Poe heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling afterwards.

The dark hooded figure approached the hostage and loosened the restraints, much to Teebasha and Poe's surprise. Both were staring at him with their eyebrows knitted together.

"You won't need those restraints," Kylo spoke. "I believe you had enough of them last time."

"How kind of you."

Kylo knelt down in front of the member of the Resistance and removed his hood. Poe shook his head, a look of disgust upon his face.

"What brought you here, Poe Dameron?" the masked man spoke.

"Oh, I just assumed that you missed me, so I thought that maybe I could come and say hello."

Teebasha grunted, and Poe turned to her. His dark eyes examined her thoroughly as he kept shaking his head. She crossed her arms across her chest, fixing her gaze on him.

"Why did you join _them_?" the hostage asked. "What made you choose their side? They are murderers. Your mentor… he's the one that killed Han Solo."

Poe's entire body suddenly tensed up and gagging noises filled the room. Teebasha threw a glance at her master, who had his arm outstretched, and his hand cupped in his hostage's direction. She heard him breathe heavily under his helmet, as though he was about to weep.

The young woman looked down and frowned. She knew Han Solo had been killed, but she had always thought that the rumours that said that the First Order had murdered him were untrue. It still sounded quite surreal to her. Han Solo was a smuggler, perhaps the biggest riffraff ever known throughout the Galaxy. Yet given Kylo's reaction, it was obvious that it could not only be a rumour.

Kylo unexpectedly lowered his arm, enabling Poe to catch his breath. The masked man started to pace up and down, his shoulders shivering uncontrollably.

"How does it feel like, huh?" Poe whispered as he rubbed his neck. "How does it feel like to watch life leaving someone else's body? I know you are used to this, Ren, but wasn't it a bit different this time?"

Teebasha stared worriedly at her mentor, who clutched the fabric of his own outfit and let out a low sob. She could not believe it: nobody had ever managed to get him into this state. Not so easily. It was so surprising that it felt like watching the highest and strongest monument collapsing for no apparent reason.

As for Poe, a lopsided grin had appeared on his face, as he understood he had pierced a hole through Kylo's mental armour. He let the tip of his tongue dampen his lower lip, and decided to end his game there.

"How does it feel like, Ren? Huh?" he repeated. "How does it feel like to kill your own father?"

Kylo stopped in his tracks; Teebasha held her breath. She stared at her mentor with round eyes, suddenly seeing the light about what Snoke had said to him on her first day. _Your father will never get on our way again_. Everything finally made sense, and it struck her like a lightning bolt.

Yet the most astounding thing was to know that Kylo Ren was so closely related to Han Solo.

The masked man stood in the dark, his back facing Poe. His whole body was shaking, and his helmet now felt like a cage. Even worse: the aching pain he felt in his heart triggered a throbbing physical one to his face.

" _SHUT UP!_ " he roared despite the lump in his throat. " _SHUT UP!_ "

The room fell silent, although Kylo's sobs and grunts would sometimes disrupt its uncomfortable quietness. Teebasha seemed frozen, not knowing what to say or do. Poe was staring at his host, feeling he was about to say something else.

Kylo collected himself and eventually turned to Poe, walking up to him again. He knelt down before him and locked eyes with him.

"You're here to see what the First Order's next move will be?" he asked, his changed voice sounding neutral again. "You'd like to know if we're going to build another weapon to destroy the Ileenium system?"

"That's kind of why I'm here, yes."

"Supreme Leader Snoke ordered General Hux to supervise the construction of a new base, which would be located in the Unknown Regions. It will be similar to Starkiller, but twice bigger and twice stronger. Once it's fully operational, Supreme Leader Snoke will lead it himself."

"Uh, no offense, but… we kinda blew it up easily," Poe observed before frowning. "By the way, why are you telling me all that? Aren't we supposed to be enemies?"

Kylo stood up and did not answer him. Instead, he walked over to Teebasha and whispered to her.

"I'm going to give my permission to the control room to let a TIE Fighter leave. You're going to take Poe Dameron there and let him go. We won't track him. You'll find his shuttle on the fifth row, and it'll be the one at the top, so nobody will see him. I know you remember the hidden paths."

"Yes, but… Kylo Ren, wh–"

"Do as I say."

Teebasha took a deep breath and nodded. She watched Kylo leaving the room and hurried up to their hostage, holding out her hand.

"Hurry up, you're leaving."

"Leaving?" he repeated with a frown. "What the hell's going on? I don't get it!"

"Neither do I."

Poe jumped on his feet, declining Teebasha's help. She took out handcuffs from under the chair and pretended to fasten them around Poe's wrists. She grabbed him by the arm and both left the questioning room. They encountered a few Stormtroopers, ready to cuff them, but they immediately recognised Teebasha and let them go.

The member of the Resistance looked all around him and glanced at the young woman.

"You really have no idea what's going on?" he questioned her. "Kylo Ren was acting quite weird."

"I'm just as surprised as you are," she answered in a slightly trembling voice, nervous and overwhelmed by everything that was going on at the same time, and all the information she had to take in.

"What's the plan, then?"

Teebasha dragged him to a deserted corridor and rubbed her forehead. She made sure nobody was around, and spilled the beans.

"I'm taking you to the main hangar. Kylo Ren is at the control room, giving the permission to a TIE Fighter to leave the ship. You're going to leave aboard this shuttle. If I'm not mistaken, you're Poe Dameron, the most talented pilot of the Resistance."

"Most talented, I don't know, but I'm a pretty good pilot. I can fly basically everything."

"Alright, then that should be a piece of cake for you. You're going to fly back to your base in the Ileenium system and tell your leaders everything Kylo Ren has told you. I can assure you that we won't track you and that it's not a trap."

"How do I know that the information Ren gave me is reliable?"

She blinked and leant closer, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Listen, I'm still new here, but I'm telling you that Kylo Ren would _never_ divulge such important information to anyone. I don't know why he told _you_ , since you're definitely not on the same side, but he did. And I can assure you that it's all true. I was there when Snoke told him what he planned to do to wipe out the Resistance."

Poe nodded and tried to take in all the information he was getting. Teebasha gestured him to follow her, and they made their way to the hangar, sometimes pretending to go meet Kylo. When finally, all the corridors were clear, she turned to the pilot.

"By the way, how many of you are on board?"

"There's only me. We made them believe there were plenty of us inside, so I could easily sneak in the ship. My friends are outside, most of them already flew back to our base."

"Cunning plan," she chuckled. "Anyway, follow me. Here's the secret path to reach the ship without being bothered by all the Stormtroopers or Captain Phasma."

They snuck through a narrow corridor, walking one behind the other. Teebasha pointed at the shuttle and freed Poe of his cuffs.

"Good luck, Poe Dameron."

"Good luck to you too. Wait, what am I saying?"

The young woman laughed and shook her head.

"I can feel that something about Kylo's about to change. But I don't know what it is."

"I hope it's for good. I still don't understand why you joined them."

"I didn't join them for their policy. I accepted to be Kylo Ren's apprentice only to learn more about the Force. I don't care about the rest."

Poe raised his eyebrows in surprise and nodded his head. He started to head towards the TIE Fighter but stopped in his tracks; he slowly spun round to face her again.

"By the way, what is your name?"

"I'm Teebasha Varn."

"Teebasha Varn… Quite nice."

They shared a smile and Poe entered the ship, which overlooked the entire hangar. Teebasha moved forward and threw a look inside, noticing Kylo in the control room, giving instructions to the people working in there. The engine of the TIE Fighter started to roar, which startled her. She backed up and noticed the chain tied to its back letting go of it. She watched the shuttle as it rose and suddenly flew out of the Star Destroyer.

Finding herself alone, Teebasha clenched her fists angrily and abruptly turned around to go back to the training room.

Some things needed an explanation.


	11. Chapter 10

The heavy blast doors of the training room flew wide open, revealing Kylo's tall figure standing in the dark. His back was turned to his apprentice, and he was putting his weight on his two fists clenched on a control panel. His hood and cape were lying around on the floor, near his left foot. A deadly silence had filled the room, sometimes disrupted by Kylo's loud breathing.

Teebasha stared at him, expecting him to say something. Curiously, he did not even seem to be aware of her presence in the room, although he had heard the doors opening. The young woman came to the conclusion that something concerned him so much that he forgot about his surroundings.

"Poe Dameron is gone, Master."

Her voice echoed through the room as though she had just spoken loudly in a place of worship. It startled Kylo, although he did not show any sign of his surprise. He slowly turned his head on the side, without really facing her.

"Good," he whispered.

Teebasha pursed her lips as he turned back to the control panel. She crossed her arms over her chest and slammed her heel on the floor, making a deafening sound. It was enough to catch her mentor's attention; Kylo turned back to her just like he did a few seconds earlier.

"Some things need to be clarified," she scolded, mentally closing the doors behind her. She took a few steps forward and stopped again. "What was _that_?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you reveal your most important information to the enemy?"

Kylo took a deep breath and stood upright. He eventually spun on his heels to face his apprentice, crossing his arms against his chest, imitating her. He pressed his kidneys against the machine and stared at her through his mask.

"It's complicated," he declared in a surprisingly calm voice.

"I guess that's another explanation you owe me."

Heaving a long sigh, the tall man started to pace up and down, staring at his feet. Although Teebasha could feel him boiling from the inside, he was calm on the outside. It was so unusual coming from him.

"I haven't forgotten about my promise, Varn. I know I still have to tell you precisely why I came to you to ask you to become my apprentice. But what happened today is linked to it," he spoke in a low yet soft voice. "Sit down, please."

Teebasha's eyes lingered on him for a few seconds. Feeling that he was about to lose patience, she walked over to the chair used for questioning hostages. Since it was not a chair that was made to be sat on, she sat on one of its arms, avoiding the restraints. She rested her left ankle on top of her right one, keeping her arms crossed.

Kylo stopped walking and faced her, standing a few feet away from her. He locked the doors and made sure nobody else could hear them talking. He took a deep breath and eventually revealed the secret he had been keeping for himself all this time.

"I'm secretly working with the Resistance."

The young woman stared at him with round eyes; it sounded so absurd that she could help but snigger. Her mentor frowned under his helmet, a bit taken aback by her reaction.

"The _Resistance_?" she repeated in a chuckle. "I'm afraid you've gone completely crazy, Ren."

"This is not a joke, Varn," he snapped.

She understood from the tone in his voice that it was serious. Her smile faded as it came to her mind. But how could it be? Kylo Ren was undeniably one of the cruellest and the most feared figure in the Galaxy. People did not care about Snoke, most of the time they had not even heard of him. They hardly remembered General Hux's name. The only name that came out of everyone's lips when the First Order was mentioned was 'Kylo Ren'. It was hard to even imagine him as a supporter of the Resistance.

Teebasha frowned as she looked down at her feet. She still could not see how it could be related to her presence aboard the starship. Feeling her confusion, Kylo revealed another detail, turning his back to her once again.

"Only Han Solo knew."

"Why did you kill him, then? Apparently, he was your father, wasn't he?"

A sigh resonated under his heavy helmet. He let his arms fall, as he stared into space. His apprentice watched him silently, awaiting for any further clarification.

"Yes, he was," Kylo muttered in a trembling voice. "It was the only way I could use to get closer to Snoke and earn his trust. Then it would be easier to overthrow him."

"So, you really want to overthrow Supreme Leader Snoke?"

Kylo nodded and sighed again.

"I really was attracted to the Dark side at first. I met Snoke, and I was seduced by his vision of power. Especially his vision of the Force, which was completely different from all the things my Master had taught me about it," he explained. "I was young and naïve. My new training began, and I was delighted to learn all those new things. But one day, I understood that I was merely a pawn in his game."

"What do you mean?"

The tall figure spun round, and Teebasha rose from the arm of the chair, letting her arms fall and brush against her sides. For a moment, she wished he would remove his helmet, so she could make sure he was not testing her. After all, her training was not over yet, and she knew she had to pass many tests.

"Supreme Leader Snoke uses me for my powers. I know that when he achieves everything he's planned, he will execute me. He is much stronger than I am, but I know things he has never been taught. I have learnt things about the light side. My Master was a Jedi."

"A Jedi?" she repeated incredulously. "But I thought they had disappeared around a century ago."

"Oh no, they never fully disappeared. I have almost never been defeated during fights. I lost only one of them in my life. The one that left me crippled. Snoke's despised me since that day."

"But… There's something I don't understand. If you know more about the Force than Snoke does, how come you haven't overthrown him yet?"

"I've rarely seen him face to face. And I know I'm not strong enough yet. I'm waiting until my training is over. Only then, I will act. But that's only if I'm alone."

Teebasha frowned and crossed her arms again. She looked down for a moment, trying to gather all the new information in her head. After a few seconds, she eventually glanced at her mentor.

"Is that why you need me?"

Kylo nodded slowly. He walked up to her, their faces only a few inches apart.

"There are only two people I knew were strong enough to help me," he whispered. "You, and Rey."

"Rey?"

"A scavenger from Jakku who joined the Resistance. She's the one who defeated me."

"Is it her who shot you in the side?"

"No. I got shot by a friend of Han's. Then I went to fight. First, I got rid of Rey's companion. Then, I fought against her. She was convinced I was trying to kill her, but the only thing I tried to do was to catch her off guard. She is Force-sensitive, even more than you are. But she refused to be my apprentice. She was ready to give in, but she refrained."

"So, I was your second choice."

"Exactly. But don't take that as an insult. You're powerful. I'm sure you learnt quicker than she would have. If I need you, it's because I know that we can defeat him easily if we work hard enough. Both of us. That's why our training is so intensive."

Teebasha started to pace up and down, gulping. She was lost in her thoughts, attempting to guess what was true and what was false. It could not be true. Kylo Ren could not be a supporter of the Resistance. Otherwise, Snoke would have already wiped him out.

A lopsided grin appeared on Teebasha's face as she faced her mentor.

"You are lying. You don't work for the Resistance. You're only testing me. I'm not going to let you trap me."

Kylo was speechless. He stared at her for long seconds, before shaking his head.

"Varn, I am _not_ testing you. Maybe I said it wrong. I am not _really_ working for them. They don't know I want to join their cause, you were there to see Dameron's reaction. I want to join them secretly, but I don't know how."

"So, you've done nothing for the Resistance so far."

"I didn't know how. I needed to know where to find them. That's why I looked for the map that led to Luke Skywalker."

The young woman walked over to the chair to sit back on its arm. She tapped her feet on the cold ground and kept her chin up to talk to her mentor.

"He was your Master, wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"And you wanted his help to destroy Snoke?"

"Yes."

She snickered and shook her head.

"This is so absurd. I can't believe you."

"Listen, Varn. I know you didn't join us for our policy. You didn't care about that, and you didn't care about the Resistance either for that matter. But I know you hate our policy. You hate the values of the First Order."

"Well, maybe I'm going to get killed for that, but yes, I hate all that. I hate the fact that you kill for your own entertainment."

Kylo's clanky steps sounded closer and closer. He grabbed her by the shoulders, which made her face turn pale all of a sudden. She tried to see his eyes through the helmet, but quickly gave up. A drop of sweat crashed on her collar bone, as he remained silent. Teebasha was shaking uncontrollably.

"I am tired of _killing_ ," Kylo whispered in a shaky voice. "I don't want to do that anymore."

"How can I make sure that you're not trying to trap me?"

"I know it's hard to believe me. But I beg you to help me. I want to get rid of the First Order. I want to join the Resistance and fight the Dark side. I want to get back to my family."

The young woman breathed heavily, torn apart between the will to help him exterminate Supreme Leader Snoke, and the will to resist him. Kylo let out a sob and immediately let go of her; he crossed the room to get to a dark corner to hide. He waited until he would regain his composure.

"What's your plan, then, Master?"

Teebasha's soft voice struck his ears like a caress. His limbs were trembling as he tried desperately to hold back his tears and his anger. Without turning around, he answered her question as clearly as he could.

"I would like to reach the base of the Resistance. I want to talk to General Organa."

"She's your mother, isn't she?"

Kylo nodded hesitantly.

"But with FN-2187 and Rey on their side, and even Poe Dameron, they won't let me approach it. That's why we need to organise a meeting somewhere, in a neutral place."

"How are you going to do it?" Teebasha insisted.

"I'll give you the precise location of their base. They're about to move it somewhere else, but they haven't done it yet. We must act fast. I'll find you a shuttle that won't let them know you're with the First Order."

"I guess I can't really go with a TIE Fighter."

Kylo paced up and down, pondering over their plan. He knew where he could find a starship. That was not the hardest thing to do.

"Then, you'll find their base. I guess you have a certain intuition for that, after all, you found Vonar Horle. Once you get in, ask for either General Organa or Luke Skywalker."

" _Luke Skywalker_?" Teebasha repeated. "Are you sure he's the right person I should talk to?"

"I don't know. They will decide. Anyway, you must find a way to talk in private with one of them, or even both. Tell them everything you know about my intentions. Of course, you will mention that you come on my behalf."

Teebasha nodded at everything he said. Kylo kept walking in a circle, his arms crossed against his torso.

"You'll have to negotiate for a meeting. If they need a reason to accept, tell them that I need to talk to them in private, and that I won't carry any weapon."

"Yes, Master."

"Do you have any question?"

"No, Master. But I haven't accepted yet. Let me think about it, please. I want to make sure this isn't some sort of trap, and that I'm not risking my life."

She stood up and hurried up to the blast doors, which she opened with a wave of the hand. Without a word, she exited the room and let the doors close behind her. She clenched her fists, still unsure about the meaning of all those revelations. She crossed the corridors that led to her room, and locked herself inside it.


	12. Chapter 11

There was not a sound that could be heard on board of the Star Destroyer. It floated peacefully into space, wandering through the Unknown Regions. The sun of the system was visible from afar, but its light did not reach the ship. Every room was plunged into darkness, unless they were lit by superficial lights. In any of the dark rooms, one could close their eyes, and it would make absolutely no difference.

Locked inside her room, Teebasha was staring at the ceiling with the lights off. She was lying on her bed, on top of her sheets, her hands crossed under her skull. It had been hours since she had left the training room after her conversation with Kylo. Since then, she had found it impossible to fall asleep, perturbed by her mentor's unexpected revelations.

The mere idea of Kylo Ren being part of the Resistance seemed so unlikely. He was renowned for being an absolutely merciless murderer, as well as a cruel and heartless person. Most people in the Galaxy would never consider him a man, for the simple reason that a man would never torture anyone and would not order mass murders. They could only see him as a persecutor and a bloodthirsty creature.

Was he even human beneath this mask?

Teebasha heaved a loud sigh, turning her back to the room and pressing her forehead against the cold wall. She closed her eyes, silently enjoying the sensation of something cold touching her, for her room felt stuffy. A vertiginous amount of contradictory thoughts filled her brain, as she desperately tried to analyse the situation.

The foggiest thing about it all was to know whether his revelations were part of a test or not. For the past three months, Kylo had tested her in many ways: he had tested her during their training sessions, through a fight or a mind trick. On top of that, he had sneaked in her bedroom a few times to attack her in her sleep, just to see if she would defend herself nonetheless. Much to his relief, she never failed that test. However, he never left the room without being yelled at.

Moreover, Teebasha could not stop imagining Han Solo and Kylo Ren together, as father and son. Knowing that they were related was still surprising to her. Had they had good memories together? Had they been close?

She imagined Han Solo smiling lovingly at the tall dark and masked figure. Soon enough, she understood that the most renowned smuggler never approved of his son's appeal for the dark side.

She remembered the day when she returned to Ryloth after a regular mission on Utapau. Natelo'or had run up to her with several wanted notices, and one of them had Han Solo's face on it. The tantalising bounty on his head nearly pushed her to track and kill him. However, she knew he had played a big part to save the Galaxy from the deadly Empire. Just for that, she had refused to go.

Teebasha rose from the bed and went to the bathroom. The sudden light burnt her eyes, but she quickly got accustomed to it. She turned to the mirror and braided her hair again, before wrapping it into a braided bun on top of her hair. As for the two thinner braids dangling before both of her ears, she undid them and brushed her fingers through them.

She pressed her forehead against the mirror and sighed again. She was mentally and physically tired of pondering over Kylo's quest over and over again. She closed her eyes and contradictory ideas came to her mind.

What if Kylo really was testing her, and she had to prove that her training was efficient?

Or, what if he was sincere, and needed her to use what she had learnt to enable him to reach his goal?

Whatever which one was true, and no matter if it was something else, Teebasha could feel the Force pushing her in his direction. She knew that she was destined to accept his quest.

Teebasha stood upright and went up to the sink. She splashed some water on her face and quickly dried her face with her towel. She walked back to the bedroom, grabbed her clothes and put them on. Not her training outfit, but her bounty hunter one.

She picked up her backpack and examined the weapons she had brought with her. She grinned as she realised she had not used a blaster in a very long time. She kept the weapons inside her bag and attached her lightsaber to her belt. Under the pile of weapons, she found her training device: a small round robot that would shoot like a blaster until it would be deactivated. She sat on the bed and put her boots on. Then, she threw her bag across her shoulder and left the room, heading towards the training room.

It still was too early for her to go to the training room, but she was so determined to pass her test or whatever it was, that she wanted to make sure she was ready for that. The corridors were awfully quiet and empty. On her way to the training room, she met only two Stormtroopers on duty.

Once she found herself in front of the blast doors, she held out her hand to open them. Much to her surprise, she noticed the lights were on inside. She entered the room and put down her bag next to the doors. She knelt down beside it and took out the training robot; as she stood up, she grabbed her lightsaber. She spun round to face the core of the room. When she looked up, a tall dark figure startled her. She let out a scream and dropped the training robot, which landed heavily on the steel ground.

The figure was facing the control panels, resting on their fists. They looked quite familiar, although she did not recognise the person. It was a tall man dressed in black, with broad shoulders and a belt wrapped around his waist. His neatly combed black hair covered his head, and hid his neck. There was something shiny near his right hand, and when she noticed what it was, her jaw dropped.

It was Kylo's helmet.

As she stared at his back, wondering if he would eventually turn to her, his voice rose from his throat. She flinched as she heard it, but soon enough, she even found herself soothed by it. It was deep, but unchanged. She guessed it would be much easier to ascertain his state of mind that way.

"You're showing up quite early this morning," he spoke softly but loud enough for her to hear from the other side of the room. "Did you have enough sleep?"

She blinked and gulped. There was something in his voice that let her think he was truly caring for her. That was something unimaginable, even though she was his apprentice.

"Well, I actually did not sleep at all. I didn't stop pondering over your _offer_ ," she answered. "What are you doing here this early?"

"Let's say I'm almost in the same situation as you. I couldn't stop thinking about it either."

Teebasha nodded, although she knew he could not see her. She picked up the robot and stood upright, taking a deep breath.

"I accept your mission, Master."

She saw him straightening his spine, and letting his arms fall on his sides. The luminous shine on his hair started to move, and Teebasha held her breath, clutching the training robot. The soles of his boots gently squeaked as he eventually revealed his true face to her.

Teebasha frowned as she examined his face thoroughly. His raven hair was parted on his left, and some of his thin locks caressed the skin of his pale face. His eyes were dark and intense; the more she stared into them, the more vulnerable she felt. He had a long and bumpy nose overlooking rosy lips. His chin was slightly wrinkled as he crashed his bottom lip against the upper one as he stared back at her.

However, she did not pay attention to the way he was gazing at her. There was something about his face that distracted her.

From the lower side of his left cheek up to the middle of his forehead stretched a spine-chilling scar. Teebasha admitted to herself that Kylo was in fact pretty attractive, unlike how she had imagined him. However, this scar looked frightening and gave his face a more stern and mysterious look. She did not understand why he kept wearing his undoubtedly stuffy helmet to scare his opponents. His wound was enough to unsettle anyone.

Realising she had been staring at his scar for too long, she gulped and looked into his eyes instead. This time, they were shinier, and Teebasha immediately understood he was getting emotional.

After a few seconds spent staring at each other, Kylo sniffed discreetly. But Teebasha heard him and even noticed his nostrils moving.

"Is that the idea of getting back to the light that make you feel this way?" she asked softly.

Kylo nodded slowly, and his bottom lip started to quiver in spite of himself. A sudden pain took hold of his chest and spread to his fingertips. He unintendedly let out a sob, and gulped, clenching his fists. Teebasha was unsettled as she helplessly watched him tearing up, wishing she knew how to comfort him.

He leant against the panel behind him and put his head in his hands. He crooked his fingers, as though he was clawing at his scalp.

"I-I hate myself for what I have done," he sobbed, followed by gagging noises coming out of his mouth. "I hate myself for killing _him_."

Teebasha remained silent as Kylo broke down. From the other side of the room, she spotted the warm tears rolling drenching his face. One of them reflected the lights as it lingered on his swollen scar.

At this moment only, his apprentice moved forward. He looked up and watched her coming up, afraid of whatever she would say or do. She stood closely before him, her eyes focusing on his face. He stared at her, sniffing and sobbing.

She reached out her trembling hand and wiped away the tear lingering on his scar. His sobs stopped, and his face relaxed a little.

"How did you get this scar?" she whispered.

Kylo gulped and gently held her wrist up, so her fingers and palm would still be touching his cheek. Teebasha could feel her cheeks turning red and heating up. He frowned lightly and took a deep breath.

"It was Rey," he whispered. "As I told you, I fought against her after I killed my father. I wanted to ask her to be my apprentice, but I had to get rid of her companion first. She thought I was trying to kill her. But as I had just been shot, and her friend managed to hit me too, I was weak. She injured me even more, and her last hit was in my face with the tip of the lightsaber she was using."

"It wasn't hers?"

"It was my grandfather's. It should belong to _me_."

"Your grandfather was a Jedi?" she asked, amazed.

"He was, before he became a Sith Lord. He was the most powerful being of the entire Galaxy. My grandfather was Darth Vader."

Teebasha gasped and gazed at him with round eyes. It only lasted a few seconds, before she thought about the story behind his scar. Kylo sniffed and pressed her hand against his cheek.

"She slashed me where my father touched me for the last time," he whispered shakily. "Just before he fell into emptiness. His last move was to stroke my cheek, like he would rarely do when I was a child."

"Did she do it on purpose?"

"I don't know. But this emotional pain is physical as well, now. It's here, all the time. Like a reminder."

"I am sorry."

"I don't want to be reminded of _that_ , Teebasha," his voice rose in self-hatred, making her flinch as well since he called her by her first name. "I don't want to."

Kylo burst into tears. Teebasha froze, completely helpless. She had never been good at comforting people. Every time she tried to, she felt like an additional burden. She had always hated to see or hear someone crying. It always hurt her, especially since the day she left home without turning back. The only real memory she kept of this day was the desperate cries of her sister. And she had done nothing to ease the pain that caused those tears.

She had vowed to never do this mistake again.

Teebasha rested her other hand on his shoulder, rubbing his arm as she moved her thumb against his cheek as well, wiping out the tears that crashed on it.

"Master –"

"Don't call me 'Master', please…" he sobbed. "I'm not being your master right now."

"Kylo," she whispered, "did you really do _it_ for the reason you told me yesterday? Did you really do it to get closer to Supreme Leader Snoke?"

"Yes, I did. But not only for that reason," he admitted, shaking his head. "I needed to prove myself that I was strong. I know that Darth Vader had a weakness, and that's what lost him. He was too attached to his family. That's why he lost. I wanted to prove myself that I didn't have this weakness as well. But I have it, just like him."

Teebasha nodded and gulped. She kept rubbing his arm and shoulder with a hand, and wiping away his tears with her other hand, since he had not let go of her. She thought about her mission and took a deep breath.

"Listen, Kylo. I'm going to achieve this mission you gave me. I must tell you that I really doubted about it all. I was convinced that you were lying to me, or testing me."

"Please, Teebasha," Kylo started to beg, "believe me. Please. Trust me."

Another sob took hold of Kylo, making him let go of her wrist. She watched him press his gloved palms against his eyes, as though he was trying to push them back inside his skull to stop his crying. Teebasha looked down and sighed softly; she understood it was not a test. It could never be one.

A sudden gasp of pain coming from Kylo brought her back to reality. She looked up and saw him covering his cheek with his hand.

"The pain… It's back," he grumbled. "It's always there when I think about it. And the tears… They're burning."

Teebasha rummaged through her back pocket and took out a neatly folded handkerchief. She unfolded it and used it to pat his scar to remove the tears from it. Kylo gulped and watched her frowning lightly as she focused on the teardrops heading towards his wound.

When she was done with them, she handed it to Kylo. He grabbed it and dried his eyes with it.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"This handkerchief is very important to me," she said with a joyless grin. "My little sister Lyyra embroidered it when she learnt how to embroider. She made this red pattern in the corner. It was something she imagined and drew. She would draw it everywhere, as soon as she could."

Kylo looked down at the handkerchief and admired the red pattern. He smiled lopsidedly, guessing how precious it was to his apprentice.

"Keep it," her voice spoke.

"Keep it? But… You said it was important to you!"

"You need it more than I do. And I own something even more important that belonged to her. This locket I found in the ruins of our house."

"I'm sorry for what happened to your family."

Teebasha shrugged and pursed her lips. She took a deep breath and made sure he had calmed himself down to speak about serious matter.

"I guess I should be leaving for the mission, now. But I need your permission to borrow a TIE Fighter."

"What?" Kylo frowned. "No, you can't go with a TIE Fighter, they will shoot you."

"I'm not going to their base in a TIE Fighter. Don't worry. I'll fly back to Ryloth and hide the ship where I live. I have both my ship and my astromech droid there. My ship is an Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor. It'll be much easier to approach them in a Jedi shuttle."

Kylo nodded. Teebasha turned around and walked away from him to get her backpack, shoving her training robot inside. She closed it and threw it across her shoulder, before following her mentor, who had proceeded to dry his face. Then, both headed to the control room of the hangar.

When they got in, the guards at the doors saluted them. Kylo walked up to the man sitting behind all the technicians. The latter stood up and saluted him. Teebasha could read the fear on the man's face as his eyes were drawn to Kylo's scar.

"Master Ren."

"Sit down, officer," Kylo spoke firmly.

The officer sat back on his chair and kept staring at his superior, fear building inside him.

"I'm giving my permission to let a TIE Fighter leave. My apprentice is going to fly it."

"Yes, sir. Does she have a license that proves she can fly such a ship?"

Teebasha laughed internally: how ridiculous it was. Never had she heard of such licenses that would testify that she can fly certain types of starships.

Before Kylo protested, Teebasha smirked and spoke.

"You don't need me to show you a license."

"I don't need you to show me a license," the officer said, blinking.

The black-haired young man turned to his apprentice with a discreet smirk. They nodded at each other while the officer was sending the permission on his screen.

"The permission has been sent, Sir. Your assigned TIE Fighter is the number thirty-nine. Third column, second row."

Kylo nodded and headed towards the hangar with Teebasha on his side. They walked amongst a few Stormtroopers on duty, and found the TIE Fighter number thirty-nine. Teebasha sneaked inside the cramped cockpit and pushed her backpack on the seat behind the pilot's seat. She got out of it, and felt Kylo's hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and saw him handing her a small silver object.

"Here's the key with the geographic coordinates of the Resistance base in it. Insert it in the control panel, and it will guide you to it. Later on, you can give it to your droid and let it drive you."

"Thank you. I won't disappoint you."

"I know you won't. Have you ever disappointed me?"

"Yes. On the day I arrived, when I met Snoke."

Her mentor tilted his head and watched her preparing herself to fly. She had sneaked back inside the cockpit and turned the ion engines on. She pushed a few buttons and entered the coordinates of Ryloth. Noticing Kylo was still standing there, she got out of the shuttle once again.

"Goodbye, Master. I'll be back shortly."

"Take the time it needs. But please, do it well."

"I will."

"Be careful when you start the TIE Fighter. I've heard many people say it's quite abrupt."

Teebasha smiled and shook her head.

"No ship can defeat me, Master."

As she was about to go back to the TIE Fighter, she turned to him once again with a smirk.

"By the way, Master, can I suggest you something?"

"Um… Sure."

"If you want to frighten people so they will respect you and all, you don't need the helmet. Keep it off. Your scar's impressive enough."

Kylo chuckled and looked down briefly. He glanced at her once again with a lopsided smile, and crossed his arms.

"I'll think about that."

Teebasha came up to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. They looked into each other's eyes, remaining silent for a few seconds. Kylo gulped, and the young woman eventually spoke.

"You'll get back to your family, Master. I'm bringing it back to you."

"But will it ever be the same again?"

"I highly doubt it will, but I'm sure they'll still welcome you with open arms. Family is family, right? Even if I betrayed them, I know that if I had ever needed someone, they would've welcomed me back and helped me. Love is stronger than all the things we can do."

Her mentor looked down with a frown, repeating what she had just said in his head. He nodded, and Teebasha ran up to the TIE Fighter and crawled back inside the cramped cockpit. She pushed a button, which closed the hole that enabled her to get inside. She picked up the safety helmet on the side and put it on. It was quite stuffy under there, but she shrugged it off.

"TIE Fighter number thirty-nine to Resurgent-class Star Destroyer, over," she spoke in the microphone embedded inside the helmet.

"Resurgent-class Star Destroyer to TIE Fighter number thirty-nine, this is Officer Orion," a female voice answered. "Please give me your name, over."

"TIE Fighter number thirty-nine, this is Teebasha Varn, Kylo Ren's apprentice. I need your signal to take off and go on a mission. I'm ready to take off. Over."

There was a silence, and the young woman waited, her fingers wrapped around the yoke. She heard a noise, and Officer Orion replied.

"We're going to release the starship. Turn the engines on, and wait for our countdown. When we come to zero, push the green button on your left. You will take off immediately at high speed. Over."

"Roger. Over."

Teebasha made the engines roar and clutched the yoke with her right hand. Her left hand was suspended above the green button, ready to slam it. A smirk appeared on her face; she really had missed flying. There was a light pain in her stomach, due to her excitement. Officer Orion's voice sounded in her ears, starting the countdown.

"… five, four, three, two, one…"

The young woman smirked a little more and tilted her head.

"Over and out."

She slammed the button and the TIE Fighter left the Star Destroyer at high speed, and in a deafening howl.


	13. Chapter 12

The two ion engines of the TIE Fighter howled as the starship left hyperspace in the middle of the system. Teebasha pushed a button on the control panel and headed towards Ryloth. The corners of her lips rose, as for the first time in forever, she finally felt like she was going back home. While the shuttle approached the planet at high speed, the young woman took a look around her, admiring the system she had left not so long before.

Above her, the wide rings of Geonosis overlooked the surrounding planets, even leaving a shadow on Ryloth. Tatooine was hiding behind them, its deserts glowing into space as the sun shone on them. On her far left, Teebasha could catch a glimpse of Nelvaan, next to Tatooine; it was the only white planet of the system, the other three being orange, with a bit of green for Ryloth.

The TIE Fighter entered the atmosphere of the planet, flying through a few clouds. Teebasha kept a hand on the yoke, while pressing some buttons and flicking a switch above her head. As she carried on flying through the sky until she would spot her canyon, Natelo'or's face appeared in her mind. Suddenly, she felt a light pain in her stomach; it was a mix of joy and fear. She knew how much her friend was terrified of the First Order: how would he react when she would tell him?

Therefore, she wondered whether landing next to the canyon was the best option – which meant landing not too far from his house – or landing inside the canyon, so she would avoid frightening him. However, she did not have much time to think about it: the canyon was right before her.

"Inside," she muttered to herself.

She clutched the yoke with her two hands, prepared for landing. She pushed it with all her strength, and the TIE Fighter dived into the wide canyon. As she went lower and lower inside it, the ship started to shake abruptly. She moved it a tiny bit on the left and tilted her head, sighing.

"It's a bit narrower than I expected," she thought. "I hope I didn't damage the right wing."

The sandy ground appeared, and Teebasha pulled the yoke as hard as she could. Much to her relief, the ship landed without any difficulty; it shook a little when it touched the ground, and the engines were reduced to silence. Inside the spherical cockpit, Teebasha pushed some more buttons and turned the TIE Fighter off completely. She unfastened her seat belt and rose from the uncomfortable seat. She picked up her backpack in the back, and opened the door. She jumped out of it and closed it again.

The warm air filled her lungs as she looked all around her with nostalgia. She spotted the entrance of her cave, but since she had been given an important mission, she refrained from going. She opened her backpack and rummaged through it. She took out what seemed to be a regular blaster. She pointed at the border of the canyon, far above her head, and shot.

A big grappling iron flew out of it and reached her aim; the branches planted themselves in the ground, and got stuck behind a rock. Teebasha closed her bag she threw across her shoulder, and clutched the blaster. Then, she pulled the trigger once again, and she flew up to the border.

When she stood up on the Rylothian ground, her first reaction was to run towards Natelo'or's house. She noticed smoke escaping from the small chimney, but all the curtains were pulled. She reached the door and knocked on the door. She waited for him to answer, jumping up and down in excitement. However, nobody answered.

"How odd," she muttered to herself, "Natelo'or always answers the door when he's home. There's always something burning in the fireplace when he's home."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw something shiny peeping out of the closest curtain. She turned her head and saw a small metallic dome, with blue paint on it, and a flashing red light next to a sort of lens.

"R2!" Teebasha smiled. "It's me, it's Teebasha!"

The droid disappeared inside, and she heard hurried footsteps inside. The door flew wide open, and the green Twi'lek appeared on the doorstep, his jaw dropped and his eyes round.

"Teebasha!"

The two friend threw themselves in each other's arms, imprisoning themselves in a tight embrace. Natelo'or patted her back, a chuckle of disbelief escaping his throat. He pulled away and grabbed her by the arm.

"Quick, come inside! The First Order's here. One of their ships has just landed inside the canyon. I don't know what they want from you."

"Natelo'or, don't worry. It was me. I came with this TIE Fighter."

"Oh. How come you flew one of their shuttles?"

Teebasha gulped, and guessed that R2 omitted to tell him where she had gone, or _whom_ she had left with. Loud noises sounded next to her, and she turned her head, only to see her loyal droid. The latter was beeping happily, his head rotating on top of his body. She knelt down and hugged her smaller friend, smiling at him.

"I'm so happy to see you, R2," she sighed with a grin. "I hope you've been nice to Natelo'or, just like I told you."

"R2 has been extremely useful. He helped me fix some shuttles faster."

The young woman turned to the Twi'lek and patted R2's side. She stood up, and the three of them walked inside the house. A scent of cooking food tickled her nostrils, and she glanced at the fireplace in front of her, noticing a sort of cauldron hanging above the flames.

Natelo'or's home undoubtedly was the cosiest place in the Galaxy. He would welcome everyone with a bowl of soup and a small loaf of white bread. There was a large and soft red couch against the wall, in front of the fireplace; almost every time she sat on it, Teebasha struggled to keep her eyes open, as it was so comfortable it would make her drowsy. There was a wooden table he had made himself out of his beloved tree that a smuggler had cut down. In the middle of this table stood small sand figures of galactic creatures he had encountered. The tallest one represented Teebasha.

The Twi'lek pointed at the couch, and Teebasha sat down, refraining from letting out a shout of pleasure. Aboard the Star Destroyer, everything was hard, even the bed. Sitting on something soft almost felt like something luxurious.

"Teebasha, I'm so happy that you are back," Natelo'or said while pouring black ale inside a glass, "but where have you been all this time? R2 delivered me a message, but he never told me where you went. I need to know."

"Oh," she let out, grabbing the glass of ale her friend handed her, "thank you. I was aboard Kylo Ren's Star Destroyer, in the middle of the Unknown Regions."

The creature dropped the glass he was holding, and it shattered curtly on the floor. He was staring at her worriedly, shaking his head.

"Did this monster harm you?"

"No, Natelo'or. Actually, he's not that much of a monster. He came to Ord Mantell when R2 and I were there, and he asked me to become his apprentice. I accepted."

Natelo'or covered his mouth with the palm of his hand and stepped back. His eyes were full of terror. He shook his head and turned her back to her.

"You… You joined the Dark Side? I-I can't believe you joined those murderers, you always said you despised them!"

"I didn't join them for their policy. I joined Kylo Ren, not the First Order."

"They are the same thing!"

"No. Ren is different. I joined him only to learn more about the Force. I just wanted to have a real training, and I was tired of being a bounty hunter. I don't want to be involved in their crimes."

"But you know it's inevitable."

Teebasha rose from the couch and walked up to him. She put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it with her thumb. The Twi'lek spun round, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Will you ever come back to Ryloth?" his voice cracked.

"I promise that I will," she nodded with a grin, hugging him briefly. "Listen, Natelo'or, I can't really stay. I came to see you, but not only. I'm on a mission, and I need your help."

"Are you… Are you going to kill someone?"

"No, _muchi_. No. I need to find Luke Skywalker. I have the coordinates of the Resistance base, and I need to get there. I must talk to General Organa or Skywalker. Kylo Ren is General Organa's son. He wants to be an ally of the Resistance. He wants to overthrow the First Order from the inside."

Natelo'or frowned and blinked, taking in the astounding information. He knelt down to pick up the pieces of glass on the floor, and Teebasha helped him. They remained silent, as the Twi'lek kept pondering over what she had just revealed. He stood up and threw the glass away in a box, then turned to her again.

"How can I help you?"

"What do you think of entering the Resistance base with a TIE Fighter?"

"That's suicide!" he gasped in horror.

"Exactly. That's why I wondered if you still had my Jedi Interceptor. It'd be much easier to approach them with a Jedi shuttle. Did you sell it?"

"Teebasha, I would _never_ sell your Interceptor."

The young woman and the Twi'lek walked out of the house and bypassed it, heading towards Natelo'or's hangar. Teebasha pushed the heavy door and they both went inside. The green creature immediately rushed to the back, where a ship was covered with a long veil. He tugged on it and the Jedi Interceptor appeared, all new.

Teebasha gasped, getting closer to it and brushed its bodywork with her fingertips. The last time she had seen her beloved ship, it was all rusty and the paint was washed-out. Now, it was completely refurbished: all the bumps and damages done to the bodywork for years were gone, and she still could smell the scent of new paint. Moreover, its surface was clean and shiny.

"I fixed your Interceptor," Natelo'or's voice rose behind her. "I remembered you said you wanted to either change it or fix it. I had some free time, so I did that."

"Natelo'or…" she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Thank you! It's… It's beautiful. That's how I always wanted it to look like!"

"Now I hope you're going to achieve your mission with it."

The young woman wrapped her arms around her friend and pressed him against her. The Twi'lek stared at the starship anxiously, trying not to imagine her during a mission for the First Order. He did not want her to get killed. He knew how merciless they could be.

"Natelo'or?" she whispered in his ear.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I must ask you that, but to fly to the Resistance base, I will need R2's help. Do you mind if I take him with me?"

Natelo'or pulled away and chuckled softly.

"R2 is _your_ droid, not mine. You can take him with you whenever you want. I'll still be able to fix those ships all by myself. But I really should think about purchasing a droid in Kala'uun."

Teebasha nodded with a grin, and they both proceeded to take the Interceptor out of the hangar. The young woman jumped inside the cockpit and turned the engines on. The ship left the ground and she flew slowly to the main doors, careful not to bump into the other starships. Once she passed the doors, she landed and stopped in her tracks.

A strong and foul smell took hold of her nostrils. She covered her nose with her sleeve, making a gagging noise. She looked all around her and noticed a bag made of fabric. As soon as her eyes landed on it, she recognised it.

She shook her head and jumped out of the cockpit, leaving it open to ventilate it despite a lack of breeze. Natelo'or closed the doors of the hangar and whistled loudly. R2 hurried up to them, beeping noisily. He stopped between the two and waited for something to be said.

"R2," Teebasha smiled, "you're coming with me."

The droid beeped happily and bounced from one foot to the other. She knelt down before him and took out the silver object Kylo had given her from her pocket, handing it to the droid.

"The coordinates of our destination are in this key. Can you please examine them and prepare the flight?"

A small arm came away from R2's body, reaching out for Teebasha. She gave him the key, and the arm went back to its place. The droid beeped at Natelo'or, saying goodbye; then, he hurried towards the Interceptor and settled in its dorsal socket.

Teebasha faced her Twi'lek friend once again and pouted.

"I'm sorry that I can't stay longer. I promise that I'll come back as soon as I can, or at least visit you."

"Be careful with the First Order. You've seen what they're capable of. They are monsters. They should be destroyed."

"I will help destroy it."

He nodded at her and watched her heading towards her ship. She jumped inside and grabbed the bag she had spotted earlier. She poked her head out and called her friend.

"By the way, Natelo'or," she said, "I'm sorry it's not the best of gifts, but take this. Keep it in the hangar or in your backyard, it's quite smelly now. It's Vonar Horle's head."

"What?" her friend gasped in surprise. "You caught Horle?"

"Easier than I suspected. He's worth more than one million wupiupi now. Take his head and bring it to Kala'uun. The notice is in it. You need this money more than I do."

"I can't accept that."

"Natelo'or, I don't need money while on board of the Star Destroyer. You need it to feed yourself and your family. And you said you'd like to purchase a droid. You'll never have to worry about all that ever again."

The Twi'lek hesitated and took the bag, looking up at her.

"I don't know what to say."

"You've always done a lot of things for me. It's my turn to do something for you, even if it isn't worth all the help you provided me."

"It's more than what I ever did for you."

"No, my friend, I can assure you it's not."

They shared a smile, and Natelo'or waved at her.

" _Ka'ta, Teebasha_."

" _Ka'ta, muchi_."

The cockpit lowered and closed itself. Teebasha picked up her good old helmet and put it on, fastening her seat belt right after. She pressed a few buttons and turned the engines on again. She spoke in the microphone in her helmet.

"Are you ready to take off, R2? Did you find an itinerary?"

The droid replied affirmatively through a few beeps. The young woman held the yoke with her two hands and they took off. She waved at Natelo'or one last time, and the Interceptor left the Twi'lek's hangar.

As they flew through the atmosphere of Ryloth, R2 beeped, and Teebasha chuckled.

"Exactly, R2. Our duo is back on track. Now, let's head to the Ileenium system!"


	14. Chapter 13

Green. That seemed to be the only colour that existed on D'Qar. It spread to the horizon like a veil on the planet, or like an infinite ocean of trees and grass. From above, it was impossible to guess the size of the many plants jutting out of the earth, for they almost had the same colour as the weeds under them. Despite this, the way they bent gracefully under the breeze gave an utterly breath-taking setting; everything seemed harmonious, and neatly arranged to form this landscape.

However, Teebasha did not share this opinion.

"Damn green," she grumbled under her helmet, still piloting her starfighter, "there's nothing here, except _green_. R2? Could you please give me the precise location of the base? I feel like we missed it."

Higher than the dorsal socket, the droid's head rotated as a series of his beeps echoed in the young woman's helmet.

"We didn't even miss it… I swear that if Kylo Ren gave us false coordinates and that we're getting right into a trap, I'm going to kick his ass!" she paused, as R2 answered her. "You know I can!"

The young woman activated her radar, in hope of being informed if any structure was spotted. R2 started to beep again, making her roll her eyes and shake her head.

"Oh, really? Are you sure their base is hidden?" she mocked the droid. "I'm quite sure they put a huge light panel that indicates where the entrance is!"

R2 protested, and Teebasha slowed down. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, but once again, she saw nothing. Not even one single colour that would stand out from the plain green landscape of D'Qar.

"Alright, R2, I'm sorry I mocked you," she sighed. "Did you see anything? Even the slightest detail?"

Just when she finished her sentence, her radar screen started to beep loudly. She looked down at it and frowned. There was another starship around them.

"R2, fly low. We have company."

The Jedi Interceptor lost a bit of altitude, and was now skimming the forests. Teebasha inspected her screen and tried to identify the other starship. She squinted her eyes and immediately recognised the shape of it.

"It's an X-wing!" she exclaimed happily. "It's ahead of us! Follow it!"

R2 accelerated and tracked the X-wing. Inside the cockpit, Teebasha was tapping her foot nervously. She deeply hoped the other pilot was heading towards the base, and not going on a mission. Relying on the droid to pilot the Interceptor, she focused on the starfighter of the Resistance.

Still flying low and at high speed, they kept following the X-wing for a few minutes. The young woman started to lose her patience. This mission could play a crucial part as to the future of the Galaxy; she refused to spend it chasing starfighters on D'Qar. Even the dumbest person in the world would know it was something that could not be taken lightly.

All of a sudden, the X-wing started to lose altitude. Teebasha sat up on her seat and pressed a few buttons.

"R2, the X-wing is landing. We're going to land near the woods, we can't land there directly. We don't know if they have shields."

The Jedi Interceptor followed the X-wing a bit longer, and Teebasha noticed an ideal spot for landing. The starship touched the ground, and she cut the engines. R2 immediately came out of his socket and bypassed the Interceptor, waiting for instructions. Teebasha left her cockpit and jumped off the ship. She checked her backpack and turned to her droid.

"You're coming with me, R2."

The duo entered the forest next to them and followed the way towards which the other ship had flown. Dry leaves covered the ground and cracked under each of Teebasha's steps; behind her, an endless sound of cracking leaves resonated under the droid's wheels. All the trees were identical, yet the young woman did not get lost at all. For once, she was glad she had a good sense of direction.

Almost half an hour later, they finally caught glimpse of the exit. They hurried towards it and finally, the forest was behind them. For the first time since she had entered the atmosphere, Teebasha spotted a stony ground. As they moved forward, she saw lines of X-wing starfighters, with pilots dressed in orange and white, and droids gathered around some of them.

Teebasha looked all around her in awe as she crossed the vast X-wing park. She could feel the quizzical looks of the pilots on her as she passed them by. R2 followed close behind, beeping at her.

"You're right, it's quite impressive," she replied without turning her head.

At the other end of the park was a wide gate built out of stone, leading underground. There were armed guards on each side, and two others in the middle, making sure that no stranger would enter the base without permission. Teebasha swore under her breath and kept walking up to them.

The four guards clutched their weapons, ready to defend the base and themselves. She immediately understood she was their target in case one of them started to shoot.

Clearing her throat and straightening her spine, Teebasha stood before them, raising her hands to show she was unarmed.

"Gentlemen," she started. "I am not with the Resistance, as you can see. But I need to talk to either General Organa or Luke Skywalker. This is really important."

"Who are you?"

"Um, my name is Teebasha Varn, former bounty hunter. My Master sends me."

"How did you find our base?"

She let out a sigh and let her arms fall. R2 turned to her anxiously, hoping she would not lose her temper.

"My Master had the geographic coordinates of your base. Then, I got lost and I followed one of your X-wings."

"Who's your Master?" the guards asked with distrust.

"This is confidential. But I absolutely need to meet General Organa. This is crucial for the future of the Galaxy."

"You're not going in."

R2 shook his head, beeping at her to discourage her from doing what he knew she was about to do. Teebasha took a deep breath and started to run, jostling the guards. She entered the base, but did not go very far. Two guards picked her up, holding her by each arm, and carried her towards the exit.

Teebasha kicked her legs and struggled to free herself, in vain.

"Put me down! I know some things that might help the Resistance, please let me in!"

Without a word, they kept walking. R2 hurried up to them and reached out for their legs. A few lightning bolts escaped from his arm and sent electric discharges behind their knees. The guards let out a scream of pain, but R2 did not stop. One of them kicked the droid, who fell heavily and noisily on the ground.

While the guards were busy kicking her out, high-pitched beeps echoed in the dim corridor leading to the base. R2 turned his head and shouted in fear as a shadow in the shape of an eight approached him quickly. The droid started to wiggle as it was getting closer and closer. After a few seconds, the light hit the shadow and revealed the figure behind it. It was another droid, quite different from him. Its body was spherical with white and orange paintings, and its head was smaller than its body, and looked like a sphere cut in half. Its head was painted in the same colours as its body; it had a big black lens with a smaller one next to it, and a blue flashing light. On top of it stood two antennas.

The second droid beeped happily as it stood close to R2. It bumped into him lightly, and the two droids started to beep at each other, having what seemed to be a friendly conversation.

"BB-8!" a voice called from the corridor. "BB-8!"

A man was running towards the other droid. He was wearing the uniform of the Resistance, consisting of a light brown jacket tightened at the waist with a black leather belt, darker trousers and brown boots. On the left side of his chest was pinned a sort of multi-coloured badge, probably indicating his rank in the Resistance. He had black hair parted on the side, slightly wavy, a tan, and dark eyes.

He ran up to the second droid – whose name was BB-8 – and knelt down beside him, resting a hand on his back.

"Who's this droid?" he asked, puzzled. "Is that R2-D2?"

BB-8 shook his head negatively, and the man helped R2 up. As soon as R2 landed on his wheel, he thanked the man and started to beep nervously. The man frowned and looked up, noticing Teebasha still struggling with the guards.

The young woman had managed to free herself from the guards' grip. Now, the four of them were surrounding her, as well as two others. She was stuck in the middle of the circle they formed, defending herself from their hits. She kicked one of them in the abdomen, but the guard behind her wrapped his arms around her from behind and picked her up.

" _PUT ME DOWN!_ " she screamed again, kicking his knees as hard as she could.

She looked up and noticed the man running up to them, with R2 and BB-8 behind him. She squinted her eyes and gasped.

"Varn?" he called.

"Poe Dameron!"

"Guards, leave her alone," Poe ordered to the guards, raising his hands before him to show them to stop the fight. "She has saved me from the First Order."

The guards shared puzzled looks, and the one holding Teebasha freed her. They all went back to their positions, leaving her and Poe alone. The latter rested a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with concern.

"Did they harm you?"

"No, no, I'm alright."

"What are you doing here?" he enquired with a frown. "I thought you said the First Order wouldn't track me if I left."

"Don't worry, we didn't track you," she said before whispering. "Listen, I really need to meet either General Organa or Luke Skywalker. Remember when I told you that I felt that something about Ren was about to change?"

"Yes. Yes, I remember."

"It's happening."

Poe's expression changed. He was so astonished he let the hand that previously was on Teebasha's shoulder fall. He looked away for less than a second and nodded. He showed her the way, and they entered the corridors side by side. BB-8 pushed R2 inside, and they followed their respective member.

After a minute or so of silence, Teebasha leant towards Poe and whispered to him.

"You know I didn't _save_ you, right?"

"I didn't find anything else to say to make them stop," the pilot admitted. "By the way, what's happening to Ren? Something's about to change?"

"He wants to destroy the First Order from the inside. But he also needs someone to destroy it from the outside. He wants to join the Resistance secretly."

"Wow. Are you sure it's true?"

"I had a moving heart to heart conversation with him. He is full of remorse and regrets. I think you've guessed it too when you were there."

Poe glanced at her thoughtfully and nodded. They crossed a few more corridors, until they faced a blast door; the pilot stepped aside and typed a code on a small box on the wall. The door opened, and the four of them went inside.

Teebasha admired the room with her jaw dropped. It was huge in size and height; there were computer and panels here and there, alongside benches. There were droids guarding the only other door of the room, which seemed to be the main entrance.

On her left, she noticed two middle-aged men in uniforms talking to a smaller woman. She was older than them, since her cheek and the back of her hands were wrinkled. She was wearing her long greyish hair in a neat braided crown. Unfortunately, Teebasha could not see her much, as she was turning her back to them.

Poe walked up to the woman, keeping a certain distance nonetheless, and cleared his throat.

"General Organa?" he called her softly, joining his hands behind his back.

The men stopped talking and glanced at their colleague, while General Organa turned around slowly. Her brown eyes landed on the pilot, and her long and thin lips stretched into a brief smile.

"Yes, Pilot Dameron?" she replied softly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, General, but this woman here would like to meet you. I think you would be highly interested in what she has to say."

General Organa turned to Teebasha and squinted her eyes briefly. She examined the young woman thoroughly, her arms crossed against her chest.

"What is your name, young lady?" she asked.

"My name is Teebasha Varn, General Organa. It is such an honour to meet you at last."

"The feeling is mutual. I have heard a lot of things about you. You are the deadliest bounty hunter."

"I would say I _was_. I quit being a bounty hunter," Teebasha explained. "General, the reason why I come to you today is of utmost importance. As I have said to Poe Dameron, it might even be determining for the future of the Galaxy, and even the Resistance. May I request a private conversation? I have weapons inside my bag, but I can leave it outside if you wish."

The older woman chuckled and shook her head, beckoning her. She then turned to her two previous interlocutors.

"I hope you will forgive me, gentlemen. I need to talk to this young lady alone. Please leave the room too, Pilot Dameron."

"Of course, General."

The two strangers left the room by the other door, and Poe proceeded to leave by the door he had used a few moments before.

"Pilot Dameron?" General Organa called him.

"Yes, General?"

"If I need you to come for this lady once we are done, where can I find you?"

"Um. I will be with Finn, General."

"Of course," she smirked, "with Finn. As usual. You may leave now."

Poe blushed and nodded. He left, followed by BB-8. R2 was hiding behind Teebasha's legs, being quite anxious about the whole situation. General Organa went up to a bench and gestured towards it.

"Have a seat, Teebasha Varn."

Teebasha obeyed and stepped forward, only to sit on the bench the general had showed her. She put her backpack down on her knees, clenching her fingers nervously around its clutch. General Organa sat in front of her, joining her hands on the table standing between them two.

"What do you want to tell me, miss?"

"It might be long, but I think I should start from the beginning," Teebasha observed with a frown. "As you may know, I was a bounty hunter, that is, until three months ago. I joined the First Order afterwards."

General Organa's face turned pale as she pressed her back against the bench, but Teebasha immediately tried to reassure her.

"However, I joined them only to be trained to use the Force. I have always been Force-sensitive, and all the things I knew I learnt by myself, either from documents about Jedi arts, or simply by intuition. Kylo Ren came to me to ask me to become his apprentice. I hesitated at first, because I despise their acts. For the past three months, we have been training intensively, but I was wondering why he wanted _me_ to become his apprentice. _Me_ , a bounty hunter."

"Don't… Don't call him that way. This is not his name."

Teebasha gulped and noticed how tense General Organa was now. The latter shook her head, letting out a sigh.

"Forgive me. Go on."

"You must have been surprised to see that Poe Dameron has been released whereas he had been held by… _him_."

"We're still trying to figure that out."

"I had a conversation with _him_. He told me the reason why he took me under his wing, and why he released Poe Dameron after he'd told him everything he knew about the First Order's next move," Teebasha said before taking a pause. " _He_ plans on destroying the First Order from the inside."

The older woman stared at her in surprise and shook her head once again. She rose from her seat almost angrily, and started to pace up and down, one arm against her chest, and the tip of her other thumb resting on her bottom lip. Teebasha watched her silently, waiting for another reaction.

"That is impossible," General Organa said curtly.

"General, _he_ wants to join the Resistance secretly. He can overthrow Snoke with me, we are strong enough for that, but he needs the Resistance to help him dismantle the First Order in its entirety."

"Why would he tell _you_ this? Why didn't he come all by himself?"

"I came on his behalf. He didn't come because he fears rejection. He's terrified at the idea that you might push him away, especially since what happened with Han Solo," the young woman said sympathetically. "I know you are related."

General Organa stopped in her tracks, her back facing her guest. She was staring into space, her sight getting blurry as she heard this name that was now too painful to hear. Teebasha stood up silently, leaving her bag on the bench, as she stared at her interlocutor.

"You know there's still light in him," she whispered. "Just like me, you can feel it."

"Han's death is something I'm still bitter about," the general replied through gritted teeth. "I am still heartbroken. But in a way, I am ready to forgive him. The only thing I don't understand is why _he_ killed his father despite the presence of light in his heart."

"There are two reasons to that, General. He did it to get closer to Snoke and gain his trust. Han knew about it all. It was more of a sacrifice than murder. And the other reason is that he didn't want to have the same weakness as Darth Vader. He wanted to make sure he wasn't too attached to his family. He soon realised it was the case. He has the same weakness."

General Organa let out a desperate sigh and sat on the edge of a table, burying her face in her hands. She allowed herself to sob silently, before collecting herself right after. Teebasha came closer and stood before her.

"I'm sorry to bring back this painful memory, General."

"What does _he_ ask for?"

"He wants to join the Resistance in Snoke's back, but still act as Kylo Ren until we're all ready for action. Then, once the First Order is destroyed, he will come back to you. He asks for a private meeting on a neutral planet with you. If you accept, he will come unarmed."

The blast door of the main entrance, guarded by the two droids opened suddenly. The two women turned their heads towards it, and Teebasha's eyes widened. An impressive man was standing at the doorstep, his hands on his hips. A long beige robe covered his shoulders and arms, and a hood was dangling in his back. Under his robe, he was wearing cream-coloured clothes Teebasha knew were Jedi clothes. He had piercing blue eyes, a grey beard, and long greyish hair.

Luke Skywalker.

This sight amazed Teebasha; never had she thought she would ever find herself face to face with the last Jedi in the entire Galaxy.

"I will go," he declared almost harshly.

"Luke," General Organa squeaked as she stared at him worriedly, "I can't let you go. Who knows what will happen? And what if he lied to his apprentice? What if it was a secret attack against the Resistance?"

"I can sense that this young lady isn't lying, Leia. It is always easy to notice when someone is lying: you can judge it by their behaviour, or even in their tone. Yet, the most obvious way to find out is to read their hearts. Your son's apprentice means no harm."

Teebasha gulped and watched Luke walking up to them. With each heavy step he made, her pulse quickened, as she feared what was going to happen next. The Jedi stood next to the two women and rubbed his bearded chin as he stared at the stranger.

"What makes you think that what he said was true? The Force is strong with you, but did you really use it to make sure that his intentions were real?"

"I could sense it, Master Skywalker," the young woman answered, lifting up her chin. "I did use the Force, but I could not reach his heart. Anyway, his behaviour was enough for me to understand that he was leading an inner battle."

Luke crossed his arms and examined her suspiciously.

"You've seen him crying, am I right?"

"Yes, Master," she nodded. "And I believe him. Of course, I acknowledge the fact that he's done awful things, but I think you should give him a chance. From the day I met him, I felt that there was this burning pain inside him, and that he was lost. The fact that he revealed such important information to both Poe Dameron and myself must be a sign that he wants to fight for the only cause that is worth it. Yours."

Leia Organa sighed and stood up, her eyes still focused on Luke. The latter was breathing deeply, his eyes closed under his frown as he pondered over the whole situation. Teebasha felt something bothering her, like an invisible thing trying to penetrate her mind. Understanding it was Luke, she let him in, hoping it would be enough to prove him or even Leia that everything she had said was true.

It lasted around a minute or two, and suddenly, Teebasha felt relaxed, and even empty. Luke had stopped his mind trick. The Jedi had opened his eyes and looked calmer than before.

"You understand the pain he's going through because you experienced it too," he spoke. "Almost at the same time, you both left your families. But you, you knew it wasn't your choice, you had to flee. And you never forgave yourself for doing so."

"I-Indeed," she admitted painfully, "it may be a reason why I believe him."

"That's why you don't want him to do the same mistake as you. You don't want him to just keep living with fear of rejection and remorse."

"You are right, Master."

Leia turned to Teebasha, then back to Luke. The latter took a deep breath and rested his hands on his hips again.

"I will go and meet him."

"Luke!" Leia cried. "I can't let you go! I don't want to lose you like I lost Han, and… and we've just been reunited!"

"Leia, my sister, don't worry about me. I will not be alone with him," Luke spoke softly before turning to the young woman. "Your name is Teebasha Varn, is that right?"

"Yes, Master."

"Teebasha, you will be there when I meet him. I want you to be around in case something bad happens. I heard you say you despised the policy of the First Order. Do you know what your new role implies now?"

"My _new role_ , Sir?"

Luke paused and sat down slowly, his hands resting on his knees. He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, before putting it back on his knee. He stared at his sister, who nodded at him, although she still was suspicious about it all.

"Do you think the Resistance is a good cause, Teebasha?"

"Yes, I do."

"Kylo will become a sort of double agent in that case, do you realise that?"

"Yes, Master."

"Since you're with him in that, you too will become a double agent. Do you agree?"

Teebasha smiled widely and proudly. She glanced at Leia, who nodded in approval. The young woman turned to the Jedi.

"I am more than glad to become one, Master, General. I would like to thank you for your trust."

"We do not fully trust you yet," Leia interrupted her. "We're not against you, don't get the wrong idea. But we need the meeting to happen to ensure this is not a trap. If Luke thinks you'll be helpful, then I cannot disagree. But we need you to prove that you are trustworthy. Once you do, and the meeting will be enough, you will be granted the rank of double agent."

"I understand, General."

"The meeting will take place in two days on Kidron," Luke declared. "It's a planet of the Outer Rim, in the Metharian Nebula. I will come unarmed, and you will make sure that Kylo Ren comes unarmed as well. However, you will carry a weapon."

"Why, Master?"

"If anything happens, whether it's a temper tantrum from him, or an attack led by the natives if they feel offended by our presence, Kylo Ren and myself won't be able to fight back. If my intuition is correct, you own a handmade lightsaber, do you?"

"I do, Master."

"Perfect."

Luke stood up and started to pace up and down. He turned to Leia and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll be safe. I won't let him get me if anything gets out of hand."

"I trust you, Luke."

"I think I will bring Rey with me. I think she's ready to come with me on a mission. Her training is going more than well."

Leia shrugged and Teebasha went back to the bench where she had sat on before. She picked up her backpack and threw it across her shoulder. She turned to the Jedi Knight and the General.

"I promise I will do everything I can to bring him back to you. Now, I think it's time for me to leave, unless you have anything else to tell or ask me."

"No, I think we are done," Leia smiled weakly. "Thank you, Teebasha Varn. I am glad that we had this conversation. Where did you land your ship?"

"I landed near the woods, General."

"Next time, land in our park. I will tell my guards that you have the permission to land there. Next time you won't have to fight them."

"I apologise for my behaviour, General."

"Apologies accepted. You may leave now. Make sure to meet Luke on Kidron in two days."

"Yes, General," she nodded before straightening her spine. "Goodbye, Master, General. May the Force be with you."

R2, who had remained silent all this time, observing the scene, beeped, and the two of them left the room by the door they had come from. After they crossed all the corridors, they walked up the tunnel, and Teebasha noticed Poe in the dark. He was holding someone else's hand, another young man with dark skin.

When he heard her footsteps, Poe turned his head and immediately let go of the other man's hand. He ran up to her, and the other followed him.

"Are you leaving already, Varn?" he asked.

"Yes, Poe Dameron. I achieved my mission, I must go now."

"What has been said?"

"Master Skywalker is meeting Kylo Ren in two days, on a planet of the Metharian Nebula. They will discuss their plans and they will decide whether he will become an ally or not."

"You cannot be serious," the young black man exclaimed. "Kylo Ren? An ally of the Resistance? This can't be. He's too much of a monster to actually turn his back to the First Order and the Dark Side."

"Oh," Poe interrupted, "Varn, let me introduce to you Finn. He was a Stormtrooper, but he deserted. Now, he's one of us."

"Nice to meet you. You'd be surprised if you knew what his real intentions are. I am his new apprentice, and I'm here on his behalf. Things are about to change, Finn."

Finn shrugged and looked down, quite puzzled. Poe cleared his throat and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I hope this will lead to something, and that we'll finally be able to dismantle the First Order. I guess we'll meet again soon?"

"Most likely. Goodbye, Poe Dameron. Goodbye, Finn."

The two of them waved at her, and she left, followed by R2. They crossed the park and the woods, until they reached their Interceptor. Soon enough, it took off, and both were gone.


	15. Chapter 14

Kylo crossed the long corridor, his fists clenched on either sides of his body, as his asymmetrical cape floated in his back. The bright light embedded in the walls reflected on the helmets and armours of the two Stormtroopers following their Commander, their blasters in hand. They were heading towards the control room of the hangar, where the officers had just reported a problem. The emergency alarm was blaring throughout the Star Destroyer; Kylo was more than glad that he had put his helmet on to muffle the noise a little.

A few seconds after, the blast doors of the control room were standing before him. With an abrupt wave of the hand – which betrayed his irritation – he opened them and hurried inside the control room.

Hearing his heavy footsteps, the officer whose duty was to control the arrivals and departures of ships stood up. He turned to the Commander, anxiously keeping his hands behind his back. He gulped as he felt a threatening presence beside him; from the corner of his eyes he noticed Captain Phasma facing their superior.

Kylo threw a quick glance through the windows that offered a view of the hangar. Although nothing seemed suspicious he knew there had to be a reason why he was summoned. He stood before Phasma and the officer, silent, while the alarm was still resonating in the room. A Stormtrooper turned it off, much to everyone's relief.

"What is the problem here, Officer Asto?" the Commander asked coldly, sending a shiver down the officer's spine.

"An unidentified starship has requested our permission to land inside the hangar. It is not one of our TIE Fighters, neither one of our freighters."

"Do you know what type of ship this is?"

Officer Asto leant towards his screen and entered a code. A holographic view of the ship waiting outside appeared, and its characteristics were shown on the screen. Kylo came closer and examined the whole.

"The starship appears to be an Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor, my Lord," Officer Asto spoke. "It is blue and white, and the droid in the socket is a blue R2 unit."

"Let her in."

Before Kylo even started to walk away, Captain Phasma stepped forward, frowning under her silver helmet.

" _Her_ , Sir?"

"It's Varn," he replied. "She's returning from the mission I gave her. I know this is her ship."

He bypassed the officers and their panels, and stood behind the main window, crossing his arms against his chest as he watched the blue Jedi Interceptor entering the hangar at slow speed.

Teebasha pulled a lever inside the cockpit and pressed a few buttons. She carefully landed the Interceptor in the middle of the huge hangar, on the spot where she had been told to land on, and turned the engines off. She quickly removed her helmet and hanged it to a small hook next to her seat. She unfastened her safety belt and opened the cockpit; she stepped over its edge and stood on the wing.

R2 freed himself from the dorsal socket of the Interceptor and went up to his friend. As she grabbed her bag inside the ship and threw it across her shoulder, she did not notice General Hux standing behind her.

"An Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor?!" he shouted, startling her and causing her to face him.

"Well, _good morning_ , General Hux," she scoffed sarcastically. "I missed you."

The young woman jumped off the wing and readjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. As she tried to walk away, Hux blocked her path. Teebasha looked up at him and let out a loud sigh.

"Where do you think you're going, Varn?" Hux scolded. "We recently gave you the permission to leave the ship aboard TIE Fighter number thirty-nine. Where is it? Do you think the First Order has an infinite amount of TIE Fighters?"

"Chill out, Hux," she snapped. "Your TIE Fighter is in good hands. I left it on Ryloth."

" _WHAT IS IT DOING ON RYLOTH?!_ " he shouted himself hoarse. "Besides, you didn't present a license that could prove you could fly such a ship!"

"Your license system is bullshit, General. You'll get your bloody TIE Fighter back. I was on an urgent mission, and I had to return as soon as possible to discuss it with Kylo Ren. I didn't have the time to go back to Ryloth and take the ship back."

She gently pushed Hux and started to walk away. His pale face turned red, and his pale blue eyes filled with rage. He hurried up to her and grabbed her by the arm.

"Who do you think you are, Varn?! It's not because Kylo Ren is your _master_ that you have the same status as him. Here, you are _nothing_. I only see you as a no-hoper, just like him. So be careful, don't play with fire. You'll get burnt pretty soon."

"Oh, you didn't need to give me this speech, you didn't need to waste your time doing it. I think you're of no use here. Aren't you supposed to train a whole army? I really think you should work harder on that. Your Stormtroopers don't seem to be very efficient. They all remind me of AD-1911."

Before Hux could even reply, she freed her arm from his grip and faced him, lifting her chin up, showing that she was unimpressed.

"Instead of running around trying to discredit both Kylo Ren and myself to prove Supreme Leader Snoke that you are the ideal General, focus on your duty to train the troops properly. As far as I can see, that's the one thing you're failing at."

The general's jaw dropped, but she did not pay attention to that detail. She walked away, followed by her droid that was beeping happily, mocking Hux without him knowing. She reached one of the corridors that led inside the ship, and suddenly heard her mentor's voice inside her head.

" _Meet me in my personal room_."

Teebasha took a deep breath and followed the path leading to Kylo's personal room. She gulped nervously at the idea of going in there; never had she entered her Master's personal area of the ship. She did not know whether it was a good sign or not, since nobody had ever been invited there. All she knew was that it was located in a very quiet side of the Star Destroyer.

If all this mission was a trap, it was the ideal location to execute her. No-one would ever know, and getting rid of her corpse would be quite easy.

After a few minutes of walking and thinking, she found herself in front of the door she feared to see. It opened suddenly, whereas she had not moved at all. She stepped back with surprise and noticed Kylo standing inside and beckoning to her. She took a deep breath and went in.

The size of Kylo's personal room was not so different from the questioning room where they had taken Poe Dameron. There was a steel chair in the middle of it, and just by taking a look at it, Teebasha could guess that it was far from being comfortable. In front of it, on her left, stood a small table with a melted mask resting on it like a holy relic. Against the wall in a corner in the back was a small control panel with red buttons. Otherwise, the room was quite empty. It was so empty that when she walked in, her steps echoed loudly inside.

Kylo closed the door using a mind trick and put his hands on either sides of his helmet. The front part of the mask rose with a click, and finally, her mentor removed it. The dim lights of the room reflected on his black locks as he gently shook his head so his hair would not remain flat. He turned to his chair and set the helmet down on it; although he had done it gently, the sudden echo made it seem like he had slammed it on the chair.

"I am relieved to see you returned from the mission safe and sound," he spoke slowly before smirking. "I am also very proud that you managed to shut Hux up."

"I hate it when people get in my way."

"You did well," he added. Within a second, his smile faded. "Don't be afraid, Teebasha. I can sense your fear. I won't harm you. The only reason why I summoned you here is that it's the only room where nobody can disturb or spy on us."

Teebasha nodded and sighed in relief. Kylo crossed his arms across his chest and started to pace up and down impatiently.

"How did the mission go?"

His apprentice grinned and lifted up her chin, standing upright.

"I only have six words to say: the day after tomorrow, on Kidron."

Kylo's eyes filled with hope instantly. The corners of his lips rose in a broad smile of satisfaction and relief. Soon, he would be free of his pain.

"I knew you would make it! But tell me more about all that. Who did you talk to?"

"First, your mother, General Organa. Then, Luke Skywalker entered the room, and we discussed the plan and the meeting. As you may have guessed, they were quite suspicious at first."

"So, they let you in."

"More or less. The guards refused to let me in despite me telling them I kept some very important information that could be crucial to the fate of the Galaxy and even the Resistance itself. I had to fight them. But Poe Dameron found my droid and stopped them. Thanks to him, I entered the base and met General Organa."

The young man nodded and remained quiet as he pondered over everything that may had happened during her mission. He slowly sat on the arm of the chair and held his chin between his fingers.

"So you said ' _the day after tomorrow, on Kidron_ '. Excellent. Who will be there?"

"Luke Skywalker, Master."

"I would have preferred to meet General Organa, but Luke Skywalker is fine as well."

"Your mother wanted to go, but Skywalker refused. I guess it's for her safety. As I told you, they were quite suspicious and refused to believe me at first. Especially General Organa."

"Your mission is a success nonetheless. Congratulations."

Kylo paused and frowned. Teebasha gulped and held on to R2's head. Her mentor turned to her, squinting his dark eyes a little.

"You neglected to give me another detail," he observed coldly. "I don't know what it is, but you have to tell me."

"Well… I must warn you about something, Master. Luke Skywalker requested me to be there during the meeting. I will carry a weapon to protect you or him, or both, in case anything goes out of hand."

"That's not exactly what you're hiding from me. I can feel it."

His voice now almost sounded threatening. The apprentice let out a long sigh and gulped before staring at him right into his eyes.

"Rey will be there as well."

The young man crinkled his nose briefly and stood up abruptly, pacing up and down again. He crossed his arms and stared at the floor thoughtfully.

"Did he tell you why she will come?"

"He said her training was going well enough for her to go on a mission with him. But please don't think negatively about this. See, I will be there in case anything goes wrong, and I'll also be a witness. But in that case, there'll be only one witness, who's on the First Order's side. Rey could be the witness on the Resistance's side. If there's any misunderstanding, you'll know who to turn to."

Kylo considered her opinion for a moment and gave up. He nodded and turned to her once again, yet keeping his arms crossed.

"You are right on that point. So be it," he shrugged. "How do you think we should go to this meeting?"

"I can fly us to Kidron. However, we won't fit inside my Interceptor. We must find another ship."

"Do you think we can leave aboard my Upsilon?"

"Nice idea. At least they'll be warned about us coming. But we must get rid of all the Stormtroopers inside. There can be only you, me, and my droid inside."

"By the way, why is your droid here?"

His gaze was not focusing on R2, who beeped confusedly, begging Teebasha to say something. She looked down at him and rested the palm of her hand on the top of his head, before she turned to Kylo.

"I ask for your permission to keep my droid. I'm not sure I would've made it without him. Poe Dameron noticed me because he found R2 in the tunnel, and he told him what was going on. Had it not been so, never would I have been allowed inside the base. Also, I would like to keep my Jedi Interceptor. I know that I am nothing for the First Order, and that technically, I'm not allowed to have a ship of my own, but this ship could be rather handy for our missions. Especially those involving the Resistance."

Kylo gave her a puzzled look. His attention was brought back to the droid, who felt even more uncomfortable. The Commander shrugged.

"Keep them. I don't think your droid will be really useful here, but I guess you can't really fly your ship without him. Anyway, there is something I must tell you about. Once we leave the Star Destroyer, you will have to get used to calling me differently. No more Kylo Ren. This name will only be used aboard the Star Destroyer, and around Stormtroopers or anyone from the First Order. Understood?"

"Yes, Master," she nodded. Suddenly, she remembered what General Organa had told her about Kylo Ren not being his real name. "What shall I call you, then? Shall I use your real name? What is it?"

Her Master picked his helmet up off the chair and put it back on. He pulled on his hood and covered his head with it. He passed her by and opened the door. Before he left the room, he snapped:

"This conversation is over."


	16. Chapter 15

A TIE Fighter crossed the Narvath Sector at high speed, skilfully avoiding an asteroid belt. Its menacing howl made a pilot flying by shudder inside his tiny cockpit as he watched the other ship flying away. It headed straight towards Iktotch, the large green moon orbiting its planet. From outer space there were no cities visible, or even villages. All the landscape seemed wild and untouched.

The star craft proceeded to land on the moon, searching for a precise spot to do so. Between two vast fields of exotic plants stood a huge hangar guarded by a bunch of Stormtroopers. Officers and Lieutenants were moving around, controlling each ship they kept inside the hangar, and giving orders to a few TIE pilots in their usual black uniforms. A team of technicians were fixing a TIE Fighter, whose right wing had been wrecked, alongside droids. Near the main entrance of the hangar stood a black droid with a few human features; a pilot who had just landed handed it a piece of her ship that needed to be fixed or improved.

When the TIE Fighter landed inside the hangar, a bunch of droids hurried up to it before proceeding to attach a safety cord to it in case anyone might try to steal it. The egress hatch opened and Teebasha climbed out of it; then, she reached out for Kylo and helped him out as well. The technicians brought them a wide staircase, enabling them to leave the top of the six metres high shuttle. Once Teebasha went down the stairs, she found R2 and patted his back. As soon as Kylo's feet touched the floor, everybody inside the hangar bowed down to him. He watched the scene, and chewed on his lip nervously, grateful that his mask hid his discomfort.

An Officer went up to them, yet did not seem to acknowledge Teebasha at all. She smiled warmly at his superior and bowed down once again.

"Welcome to Iktotch, my Lord," she greeted. "I hope your flight was pleasant."

"Enough small talk, Officer Claetis. I believe my Upsilon is here."

"It is, Sir. We have taken good care of it and added fuel to it."

"Perfect. Me and my apprentice need to use it right now. However, I want no Stormtroopers, Officers, or Lieutenants inside. Only me, my apprentice, and her R2 unit."

Claetis gave him a nod and led them to another part of the hangar. They entered a much higher one, in the middle of which the Upsilon was standing, all proud and threatening. Four Stormtroopers were standing around them, holding their blasters in their hands, making sure no intruders would enter it. They saluted their Commander, and after Officer Claetis ordered them to leave, they obeyed without a word.

With a loud noise the platform of the starship lowered, inviting Kylo and Teebasha inside. R2 was the first to enter the ship, followed by Teebasha. Kylo was giving additional orders to Officer Claetis, who nodded at him, saluted, and left. The Commander reached his ship, and the platform closed behind him.

He found Teebasha busy activating a few commands, pressing a few buttons, and entering the coordinates of Kidron on the control panels. R2 turned on the ion engines, whose roar echoed inside the hangar, startling most of the people wandering there. Once they were ready to take off, Teebasha turned to her mentor.

"We are ready to go, Master."

"Excellent."

She sat down in the cockpit, fastening her seat belt and putting a headset on. Kylo settled in the open seat beside her and imitated her, putting aside another headset, which he knew he would not need. R2 was standing behind them and pulled a lever on the control panel.

"Thanks, R2," Teebasha smiled. "Be prepared to leave. If anything breaks, fix it as fast as you can. Understood?"

The droid let out a beep, and the starship left the ground, its two towering wings parting and sliding to grow even taller. The hangar then seemed like a mere black spot on the ground. Soon enough, the Upsilon was floating in outer space.

Teebasha grabbed her bag and took out a small circular object. She pushed a button on its side with her thumb, and a holographic map of the Galaxy spread before her eyes; Kylo examined it, quite amazed by the device. The young woman played with the buttons of the pocket map and zoomed on one planet.

"This is Kidron, our destination," she told Kylo. "If your ship can handle hyperspace, we should be there in less than an hour."

"It can handle hyperspace."

"Great!"

With a grin, she turned off the pocket map and put it back inside her bag. Then, she prepared the ship to enter hyperspace. She flicked a switch above her head and pushed a few buttons on the panel. She grabbed a lever and pulled it effortlessly.

Within a second, the stars appeared as streaks of light as the spacecraft surged forward.

Kylo discreetly turned his head towards his apprentice, and watched her flying the Upsilon. Although she had never flown it, she had no problem figuring out how everything worked. It felt as though she had made a habit of piloting this ship. She pressed the buttons, pulled or pushed the levers, and flicked switches without the slightest hesitation. She was in control of everything, and nothing seemed to disturb her.

An odd feeling took hold of Kylo unexpectedly; it was a sensation he had never truly felt before. It was a strange mix of pride, envy, and admiration. He admired how good a pilot and a fighter she was, as well as her cleverness and her kindness. Her determination had been quite effective during her training, and that was one of the many things that secretly made her mentor proud of her. Nothing seemed to stand in her way, as she would probably destroy the obstacles in a matter of minutes. This woman smelled of success, and that was something Kylo could only envy.

His eyes lowered on her fingers running on the buttons of the control panel, as well as on the yoke. It reminded him of all the times he went on trips aboard other ships. Suddenly, he pictured himself sitting behind his father and Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon, his skinny legs bouncing up and down as he watched them flying the ship with his young eyes. He would watch them for hours, trying desperately to figure out how everything worked. Quit often he would not remember all the commands, which would leave him frustrated for the rest of the day. He would sigh, and Han would turn to him with his usual lopsided grin. " _You alright back there, kiddo?_ " he would often ask so he would not feel left behind. Then, right after he would give his father a nod, Han would reach out for him and tousle his black hair with a chuckle.

Han… Just the thought of his name made Kylo's heart ache. He looked away and clenched his fists, fighting the urge to cry.

Teebasha let go of the yoke and pressed her head against the headrest. She let out a sigh and tapped her fingers on her thighs. She threw a quick glance behind her to ensure R2 was going well; then, she gazed at Kylo, who was remaining silent.

"Master?" she spoke softly.

Kylo turned his head towards her and cleared his throat.

"Yes?"

"You know, I was very confused the day before yesterday when I asked you your real name and you just left. I still don't understand your reaction, because just before that, you told me to get used to calling you a different name. But when I asked, you walked away instead of answering."

"Oh… I apologise. I didn't mean to confuse you. It's just that I warned you about this, but I couldn't tell you about my name yet. When I joined the Dark side, Snoke gave me the name _Kylo Ren_ , and forbade everyone – including myself – to use my birth name. If I had used it aboard the _Finalizer_ , I could've got into trouble."

"I see," Teebasha nodded wearing a light frown. "Can I know your birth name, now?"

Her mentor smiled behind his mask and stared down at his hands wrapped up in leather gloves. He gulped and found himself hesitating. What could he fear? There was nobody aside from them on board, nobody from the First Order would know that he used his birth name. However the reason he feared pronouncing it was different. He had heard Han calling him this before he killed him, planting his lightsaber through his father's torso.

For a very long time Kylo had thought that this part of himself had died. Saying his name would be like summoning the ghost of the child he used to be. The child he had murdered around sixteen years before.

"Ben," he eventually spoke without thinking. "It's Ben Solo."

"Ben?" she repeated with a grin. "That's a nice name. I think Kylo sounds better, but Ben is a nice name as well."

"I don't want to be Kylo anymore."

"I know, Master. So now, I must call you Ben, is that right?"

"That's right. You can drop the _Master_ thing as well. After all, you taught me more than I taught you. It's me who's been trained all this time."

Teebasha chuckled and shook her head. She glanced at Ben and crossed her arms across her chest, examining the details of his outfit.

"You taught me a lot of things, Mas— I mean, Ben. You taught me several techniques to fight with a lightsaber. I could never learn that from even the best archives about Jedi arts and history."

Ben allowed himself to smile under his helmet. He could feel his cheeks heating up and turning a brighter shade of pink. He felt ridiculous all of a sudden, since this had never happened to him before.

While Teebasha took hold of the yoke once again and guided the Upsilon towards Kidron, Ben cleared his throat and turned to her. He realised that she knew a lot of things about him, but he did not know much about her, aside from the facts that she was a bounty hunter, that she was forced to desert her family, that she was good at everything, and that she lived on Ryloth. And that she managed to shut General Hux up. That was a point he could not neglect.

"Teebasha? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Ben," she answered while still looking at what she was doing.

"When we met, after I told you to leave your droid on Ord Mantell, you told him to send a message to someone. You didn't live alone on Ryloth? You have a new family there?"

Teebasha smiled and let out a soft giggle. She shook her head and faced Ben.

"No, I don't have a new family. Although I can consider Natelo'or my family. He's a Twi'lek I met a long time ago. He lives on the border of Kala'uun on Ryloth. He has a nice house where he lives with his wife and his little girl. He fixes starships for passengers or locals."

"Tell me more about him. I don't know a lot of things about your life."

"Is that really worth it?" she laughed. "My life is boring."

"You know a lot about me. I feel a bit guilty for not knowing as much about you. I'm interested in what you have to say. It's a bit odd, I know."

The young woman laughed again and took off her headset. She rotated her seat and rested her right ankle on her left knee. She faced him, tapping her fingertips on her boot.

"Almost four years after I left home," she started, "I went on a mission as a bounty hunter. I had a wanted notice of a smuggler that made a habit of capturing random people or creatures and using or selling them as slaves. But that's not why I decided to track him. I just needed money. When I broke into his base, I noticed he was keeping this green Twi'lek as his personal slave. The poor thing was injured and bruised."

She coughed and frowned as she recalled the poor state Natelo'or was in when they first met. She shook her head and kept telling her story.

"I killed the smuggler and his henchmen. Therefore, Natelo'or was free. He was weeping when I told him to flee after I broke his chains. He was convinced that I had come to save him. I kept denying it, and I explained that I just needed the money I would be given if I killed his owner. Of course, since he wasn't on his home planet, and he couldn't fly a ship yet, I took him to his family's home on Ryloth. I asked him where I could spend the night on the planet, since I was homeless, and sleeping inside my ship was a horrible idea. He offered me a bed in his house, but I noticed it was the only one he had. I refused and I found a cave inside the canyon next to his house."

"You slept in that cave?" Ben asked incredulously.

"Exactly. It was actually much more comfortable than my ship. The next morning, he told me where I could find some food in the city for cheap. I went, and while I was away, he arranged a bedroom inside the cave I slept in. When I returned he told me he had built it to thank me for freeing him, and since he understood I was homeless, he wanted me to know that if I ever got lost, I had somewhere to go." Teebasha paused, smiling at herself. "We've been friends ever since."

Ben blinked and nodded.

"This is an amazing story. Quite unusual for sure. A beautiful one nonetheless."

"I'm glad I met him. He's my only family."

R2 beeped behind them, and they both turned their heads. Teebasha laughed and focused on the control panel, checking their location. Ben kept staring at the droid, who suddenly felt uncomfortable being scrutinised that way. The young man felt like he had already seen him somewhere.

As he was about to ask her where she got R2, an alarm went off. The young woman pulled a lever and flicked the switch above her head once again. The streaks of light disappeared and now, the star stained infinity was the only thing they could see, aside from a greenish spot growing bigger and bigger.

"This is it," she spoke. "We have arrived. That's Kidron over there."

She picked up the headset and put it back on before she grabbed the yoke and pushed it as hard as she could. The imposing starship flew through the atmosphere of the planet and soared above a vast jungle for a moment.

The radar alerted her that another starship was detected nearby. Teebasha typed a code, and a holographic view of their surroundings appeared in front of her. A small moving spot grew larger, and Ben recognised it almost immediately.

"The Millennium Falcon," he stated. "It can only be them."

"I'm sending them a signal."

She typed a code on the main keyboard and pressed a button on the side. Then, she prepared for landing. The twin wings of the Upsilon slid downwards and touched above the ship; it slowly but surely lowered until the bottom of the star craft touched the damp ground of Kidron.

Ben and Teebasha unfastened their belts simultaneously; the pilot took off the headset and picked up her backpack. Before they left the ship, she turned to Ben and cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned to her and did not utter a word before she spoke.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted up her chin and straightened her spine, like an Officer would do whenever they would meet a superior.

"Master," she started despite knowing he did not want to be called that way, "as your spokesperson, and as your apprentice, it's my duty to make sure that you keep your promises." She stretched out her hand, her palm facing the ceiling. "I request your lightsaber."

"What for?"

"When you gave me instructions for my mission, you told me that you would come unarmed to the meeting with Master Skywalker. I noticed you brought your lightsaber. I'm asking you to give it to me. Once we are done, I'll give it back to you."

Ben grabbed the hilt of his lightsaber and stared at it as he kept his fingers firmly clenched around it. He looked up and shook his head.

"No," he said firmly. "A knight never gets rid of his weapon."

"Ben," she insisted harshly, "if you want all this to work, then you should keep your promises. Luke Skywalker is unarmed. You don't want the meeting to go wrong only because you carry a weapon, do you?"

Holding on to his lightsaber for dear life, Ben let out a grunt and gave up. He handed his weapon to Teebasha, who grabbed it. He refused to let go for a moment, but as soon as memories of him clutching his lightsaber while his father was trying to get it away from him struck his mind, he completely let go.

"Thank you, Ben. It's for your own good."

Teebasha attached Kylo's lightsaber to her belt, right next to hers. They both walked to the exit, and waited for the platform to slide down. R2 followed them silently, examining their surroundings thoroughly.

The apprentice closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She frowned briefly, then her eyes popped open.

"Luke Skywalker and Rey are waiting for us on the other side of this grove on our left. Can you feel them?"

"More than ever," Ben replied.

It took them only five minutes to cross the thicket leading to their possibly new allies. The trees stood high above their heads, filtering the sunrays piercing through their green leaves. Surprisingly the ground was not as damp as where they landed earlier. The climate was warm, but not as warm as on Ryloth.

Teebasha pushed away a few branches blocking the exit of the grove. As soon as she did, she caught a glimpse of two tall figures standing near a rock. She immediately recognised Luke Skywalker, dressed in his long light brown Jedi robes. As he heard their footsteps, he turned his head and pulled his hood, letting his long greyish hair floating in the quiet breeze.

"Master Skywalker," Teebasha greeted him, "we came as planned. As I promised you, my Master came unarmed. I am carrying his lightsaber at my belt, alongside mine. If you don't mind, we took my droid with us."

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Varn," the old Jedi Knight smiled through his beard; then, his eyes focused on R2. "Oh, this droid looks very familiar…" he observed before looking back at her. "I came unarmed as well. My apprentice is carrying my lightsaber with her. Let me introduce to you my apprentice, Rey."

He stepped aside and gestured towards a younger woman – around ten years younger than Teebasha – carrying a long scavenger stick. Rey was wearing her brown hair in three aligned buns in the back of her head, and two thin and wild strands were framing her slim face. Her piercing brown eyes were staring at her almost haughtily. _She doesn't trust us_ , Teebasha thought, _and as long as we haven't discussed all that, it's only fair_.

Teebasha cleared her throat and stepped aside.

"I guess I don't need to introduce my Master," she said. "But here he is. Not as Kylo Ren, but as Ben Solo."

Ben stared at Rey and gritted his teeth. He stepped forward to stand next to Teebasha, without breaking eye contact with the girl that left him scarred for life.

"The scavenger from Jakku," he mumbled. "A Padawan now?"

"I'm finishing what _you_ started. And screwed up," Rey snapped at him.

Luke threw a quick glare at Rey, and she immediately calmed down. She held her stick in front of her, letting it rest against her right shoulder. She watched the two men staring at each other silently. The atmosphere had suddenly grew heavier, and the two apprentices were holding their breaths, impatiently waiting for anyone to speak.

It was Luke who broke the silence, speaking low as though he tried not to wake some forest spirit.

"It's been a long while, Ben… Please, remove this helmet of yours. You won't need it here. I believe your apprentice when she says you come as Ben Solo, not as Kylo Ren. This mask… It's not the real you."

His nephew clenched his fists and remained quiet as the grave. Was it a good idea to take his helmet off? The face Luke would see was so different from the one he once knew. He no longer was the fifteen-year-old Padawan who turned his back to his beliefs and his values. Although he was willing to make amends for his foolish acts, he started to fear that he would never be the same person ever again. No matter how hard he could try.

The Ben Solo that used to be was no more. That was the fate Kylo Ren would soon know. It was his duty now to be a brand new Ben Solo and leave his awful past behind him.

So what did this mask represent after all?

He brought up his hands to the sides of his helmet and pushed the tiny buttons. The front part clicked and rose. He pulled it up, and showed his face to his uncle, vulnerable as a new-born. His brown eyes were slightly teary, and his bottom lip quivered discreetly. His skin looked paler, bringing out the many moles he had.

Luke frowned and stared at the bright red raised scar across his face.

"How did you get that?" he asked with concern.

"Ask your apprentice."

"Let's forget about this, alright? If I agreed to come today, it's in order to discuss your sudden change of mind. Teebasha Varn told me everything she knew, but I need to hear it from you to truly believe it."

"There is nothing to add to what she told you, but if you insist," Ben shrugged. "I realised that I didn't belong where I am now. The First Order… it's not what I should ally myself with. I was too young and naïve to understand it as a teenager. But Snoke has always been using me as a pawn in his game. He knew about my potential and wanted to use me to reach his goals and reign over the whole Galaxy. I also understood that after that, he will execute me. I had a tiny idea about it until my father made me realise how serious it was, and I started to feel repulsed by the First Order. This is why I needed this map to get to you. I wanted to find you and ask you to help me overthrow Snoke. That's also why I asked Rey to become my apprentice."

Rey glanced at Luke worriedly; he crossed his arms and held his chin between his fingers. He squinted his eyes and kept staring at Ben.

"I don't want to kill anymore," Ben carried on, his voice cracking. "I grew tired of being a heartless monster. This is not who I used to be. I wish I had never followed this path! I want to get rid of the First Order, and I want to get rid of Snoke! Because of my stupidity, I killed my father! If only you knew how much I regret it!"

"My intuition tells me that Han knew about your new intentions. And he knew what it implied to overthrow your Supreme Leader. You did not kill him."

"Master!" Rey gasped in shock. "I saw everything! He killed him!"

"That was a sacrifice," Luke spoke louder to urge Rey to stop talking. The Jedi Knight closed his eyes for a long moment, using the Force to find the truth about what had happened with Han. " _He_ turned the lightsaber on. It wasn't you, Ben. And when he touched your cheek, you didn't push him away. That says a lot about your feelings for your father."

An ugly sob escaped Ben's throat. Rey frowned in disbelief; never had she thought she would see Kylo Ren cry one day. However, he quickly regained his composure and took a deep breath before facing his uncle again.

"I beg you, my Master," Ben's trembling voice sounded, "my _uncle_ … Forgive me for what I have done. I know we can't bring all the younglings back, but their faces have haunted my dreams for nearly two years now. The call of the light is so strong, I can't resist it. I want to get back to my family."

The old Jedi stepped forward, and the three other pairs of eyes followed him anxiously. He stood before his nephew, his blue eyes locked with the brown ones that used to look up to them every time they needed their help. At this moment, it was not the crippled and torn apart man he was seeing, but the curious and quiet young black-haired boy with the messy hair. The one who would often beg him to carry him on his shoulders; the one who would always say he would become the greatest Jedi of the Galaxy; the one who would often fall asleep in his mother's arms and would play with his Wookiee friend.

Times had changed, but Luke knew that deep within Kylo Ren, this young Ben Solo was still there somewhere, trying to free himself from the shadows.

Luke rested his hands on Ben's shoulders; the latter flinched and gulped, remaining silent.

"You are forgiven, Ben."

The young man slowly nodded and his bottom lip quivered as a tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away with the palm of his hand and took the time to regain his composure.

"Maybe it's time for me to tell you about what Snoke's planned to do," he stated.

"Poe Dameron gave us the information you gave him. Is there anything besides that that we must know?"

"Building the new weapon will take a lot of time. If Snoke wants to build another superweapon twice stronger and twice bigger than Starkiller base, it will take forever."

"The Empire took over twenty years to build the first Death Star," Luke added, "I don't know how long it took for the First Order to build Starkiller."

"It didn't take as long as for the Death Star," Teebasha interrupted, "since the planet already existed. All they had to do was build the weapon _inside_ it, in its core. It took less time to be built."

Luke nodded with a frown and started to pace up and down. Rey crossed her arms against her chest and cleared her throat. They all turned to her, expecting an idea from her.

"You told Poe that Snoke's going to lead the new base himself," she said to Ben. "That means he has never been there while the attack on the Hosnian System was led, is that right?"

"That's right," Ben confirmed. "He indirectly controlled it. He gave General Hux orders from the shadows. I've rarely seen him face to face."

"We should find a way to make him show up before the superweapon is built," Teebasha suggested. "It could be either aboard the _Finalizer_ , or any place that isn't too big so we can trap him."

"We could destroy the First Order's fleet," Luke shared. "I bet they have tons of Star Destroyers scattered in the Unknown Regions. If we take down all the spare ones, Snoke might wonder what's happening. If we're lucky enough, he will want to meet his two Commanders on the _Finalizer_."

"What about the bases?" Ben's apprentice added. "If we know where they are, maybe we could blow them up to weaken the First Order and reduce their number."

They all shared looks and nods of approval. They kept pondering over a plan, enjoying the silence to focus on the serious matter. Luke sat on the rock he had been standing next to since the beginning and sighed in relief as his legs started to hurt.

Suddenly, Rey's voice rose.

"Master Skywalker, are you sure we have enough pilots to take down the main ships? We lost a lot of them during the battle on Starkiller…"

"I volunteer to help," Teebasha declared. "I'm a pretty good pilot, I can fly basically anything. If anyone's willing to let me fly an X-wing, I'll be glad to train myself."

"No, Varn, you can't fight with our squadron," Luke replied. "I have no doubt about your flying and shooting skills, but Ben can't fight Snoke on his own. He'd be crushed in a minute."

"What if Teebasha and I find ourselves alone with Snoke aboard the _Finalizer_ , and while we attack him, your pilots attacked a part of the ship? They could destroy the canons and get rid of the TIE pilots. In the meantime Master Luke could sneak in and help us kill Snoke. Then, we would use TIE Fighters to escape and the ship would be destroyed."

The three others considered Ben's suggestion. Luke frowned and stared into space before nodding slowly, looking back at his nephew and former apprentice. He stood up and crossed his arms.

"I agree."

"I agree with you," Rey added, nodding at the man who once was her archenemy.

"So do I," Teebasha replied, resting a hand on his shoulder to show her support.

"That settles it, then."

Luke got closer to Ben and rested a hand on his shoulder. Understanding that the moment they were about to have was going to be more private, Rey and Teebasha stepped aside and started to talk, trying to know each other better.

Meanwhile, Luke stared into Ben's eyes and dragged him to the side.

"You know that before we act, you will have to meet your mother?"

"Yes, I know," Ben replied. "I am scared, you know? She'll never forgive me for what I have done. I'm not only talking about killing Han. I'm also talking about all the younglings, and turning my back to them."

"You know she will welcome you with open arms. Love is stronger than anything else. Maybe less than the Force, but unlike what the Jedi were told before, love is just as important as the Force. Leia loves you, Ben. Of course it was hard for her to lose you and your father, but I know she can't be mad at you. She always knew there still was light in you."

"What if I disappoint her?"

"If you put your heart into our mission, you never will."

Ben nodded sadly and tried to reassure himself. Luke tried to comfort him, but he could not hear what he was saying: without him noticing, his gaze slipped to Teebasha, who still was talking with Rey. He admired the curves of her face, and internally smiled at the way the bright light of the sun shone on her black skin.

Luke understood what distracted him and grinned.

"Ben?"

"Mmh? Sorry."

"Remember: _Love_ is stronger than anything else. Even stronger than your acts."

A shy grin appeared on Ben's face. The two women turned to them, and Luke nodded, indicating that they could be part of the conversation once again. They approached them and Luke turned to the three of them.

"I think we should organise an open meeting at the Resistance base, so we can tell our plan to the others. Including the pilots."

"This is exactly what we should do," Teebasha encouraged him. "In the meantime, Ben, you mustn't change your behaviour. You know you still have to act as Kylo Ren."

"I know."

"You two should keep training," Luke added with his arms crossed. "Fighting Snoke won't be an easy task, you know that."

The mentor and his apprentice both nodded.

"Well, I think this meeting is over. Ben and Teebasha, you are granted the rank of double agents of the Resistance and the First Order. You earned our trust."

"I'm glad that we came to an agreement," Teebasha smiled. "How can we keep in touch?"

"You will know, Teebasha Varn," Luke affirmed. "You will know. Ben, before you go, I'd like to remind you once again that even though you supposedly killed Han, Leia will never stop loving you. She's still waiting for your return."

Ben nodded with a joyless grin. He turned to Rey and tilted his head.

"You know, I never wanted to kill you. I only wanted to talk to you that night."

"Then why did you have your lightsaber in hand?"

"I knew you would attack me."

"We'll talk about that another day, okay? For the moment, try to be discreet with the First Order. They shouldn't know about our plan. That's our current priority."

"May the Force be with you," Luke said to his two new allies.

"May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker."

The two members of the Resistance disappeared amongst the trees of the forest. Teebasha threw a glance at Ben and both silently made their way back to the Upsilon, with R2 following them. They prepared to take off, and when they finally did, they spent the trip back to the _Finalizer_ meditating about everything that had been said, and trying to find alternative options to their plans.

Finally, some balance would be brought to the Force.


	17. Chapter 16

The purple and the red blades clashed together in a deafening sound. They spun and ducked a few times, always blocking each other's attacks. They lowered for a second, their sound replaced by a sudden blast; it blew away everything that stood on its way like a breath-taking gust of wind. An invisible hand dragged the red blade backwards, shoving it against a wall. A few sparks were spewed from the hole it left in the wall – some even bounced on the ground.

Footsteps hit the steel squares covering the floor, and the purple blade rose in the air, silencing the steps. It ducked towards the red blade, but the latter skilfully blocked the attack. Once again they clashed against each other in an intensive fight for dominance. The Force reigned over the training room, bringing courage to the hearts of the two rivals. It increased their power and their determination, but also made them more aware of their surroundings they were now using as a playground, or as an ally.

At the moment when the two blades met and lingered there, the explosion of colours lighting up the dark room, the blast doors flew wide open, and the shadow of a tall silhouette appeared on the ground.

Teebasha and Ben turned their heads simultaneously, pearls of sweat dripping down their foreheads and the back of their necks. As they recognised General Hux, standing upright and staring at them haughtily as usual, they both pulled away and turned off their lightsabers.

"Sorry to interrupt your… _fight_ ," Hux cringed. "Supreme Leader Snoke demands your presence for an immediate meeting. Both of you."

"Thank you, General," Ben replied curtly.

Both Ben and Teebasha brought their lightsabers to their belts and followed Hux out of the training room. The General was walking far before them, which enabled the two to share worried looks.

"Do you think he knows?" Teebasha asked his mentor using telepathy.

"I hope not. If he does, this is the end for both of us _and_ the Resistance."

The apprentice sighed and kept walking, crossing her arms against her torso. She looked down and focused on the black fabric of her First Order uniform. She gazed for a while at the small red and black badge on the left side of her chest, symbolising her affiliations with the Order. For a moment, believing it was the end for her, she considered ripping it off and snapping it in two. However if the reason Snoke summoned them had in fact nothing to do with their alliance with the Resistance, doing so would mean signing her own death warrant.

A few minutes passed silently and their footsteps stopped before a door. General Hux pushed a button on the side, and the blast door opened. The red-haired General stepped aside, his hands in his back, and let them in. Ben entered the meeting room first, closely followed by his apprentice. As she walked past Hux, Teebasha's eyes locked with his.

Hux's pale blue eyes constantly betrayed his lack of compassion for anyone and his insensitivity; they were as cold as the mountains that once stood on Starkiller base. The only expressions that could be read in them were those of hatred, scorn, and cruelty.

At last, the merciless General entered the room, bypassing Ben and his apprentice who both stared into space in a deathly hush. He stood beside the man he had always despised, and waited. A few seconds later, the towering holographic figure of their Supreme Leader appeared.

"Supreme Leader Snoke," Ben greeted him with a nod. "You demanded our presence?"

"Yes, Kylo Ren," the creature's hoarse voice echoed. "General, leave us alone. I need to have a private conversation with Ren and his new apprentice."

"Understood, Supreme Leader."

General Hux threw a death glare at Ben before exiting the room silently, closing the blast door behind him.

Snoke squinted his eyes and stared at Teebasha for a long moment, which felt like forever. Once he turned to her mentor instead, she focused on the ugly scar at the top of his head. His bony hands clutched the edges of the arms of his stone throne, as he leant forward.

"How does her training go, Kylo Ren?"

"More than well, Supreme Leader. She learns quite fast, and she grows stronger every day. Her improvements are impressive, to say the least."

"Good. Varn," he called, facing Teebasha this time, "do you think you are ready to lead an attack on the Resistance grounds?"

Ben glanced at her worriedly, although he was being careful enough to control his thoughts so Snoke would not guess what was going on. Teebasha lifted up her chin and nodded.

"I am ready, Supreme Leader."

"Are you ready to wipe them out?"

"More than ever, Supreme Leader."

Although she sounded quite convincing, Teebasha was panic-stricken. She felt a sharp pain in her guts as the faces of Poe, Finn, Rey, General Organa and Luke Skywalker appeared in her mind. Frankly, she was not ready at all to lead an attack on them, despite their double agent position. It was important for them to keep obeying to Snoke's orders, but it was far from being easy since it implied killing their new allies.

Snoke pressed his back against his throne, taking a deep breath.

"There is a village on Dantooine that is controlled by the Resistance. It stands on the ruins of a former Rebel base. They're plotting an attack against the First Order, but their new weapons haven't reached them yet. They must be stopped, and you will stop them."

"Does Teebasha have to come with me on this mission?" Ben asked with a bit of concern. "If we must act fast, we don't have the time to find a strategy. Teebasha still needs a strategy, she can't react spontaneously yet."

Taking offence at this remark, Teebasha frowned and gasped, ready to protest. She turned to Ben, who did not break eye contact with Supreme Leader Snoke. Within a second, her outrage faded as she understood that his comment was meant to remove her from the mission. If Ben had to go alone, it was obvious that the attack against the Resistance would not happen.

They had to find a strategy, and Ben seemed to have found one.

Snoke turned to Ben and sat up on his throne, waving his hand abruptly.

"Do as you wish. As long as the attack is stopped and the village destroyed, it doesn't matter who goes. I expect you to leave today for this mission. There's no time to waste."

"I will leave today and follow your orders, Supreme Leader," Ben replied with a solemn tone.

"Good. Don't disappoint me this time, Kylo Ren."

Before Ben even had the time to reply, Snoke disappeared, leaving the room dark. Ben and Teebasha's heavy breaths echoed between the six walls; they shared a concerned gaze and headed back to the training room at a quick pace. They remained silent as they met Stormtroopers and Lieutenants in the corridors of the _Finalizer_. Both of them were already thinking about a strategy for the mission.

When they reached the training room, Ben opened the blast doors from afar with a wave of the hand. They hurried inside, and the loud noise the doors made when they closed startled them.

"We must find a way to avoid a killing," Teebasha got straight to the point. "We can't murder our new allies! Our alliance would be shattered immediately!"

"I know, Teebasha," Ben nodded as he paced up and down anxiously. "We must evacuate the village."

"But what about the Stormtroopers and Captain Phasma? If you leave to destroy the village, you won't be alone, you know that!"

"There must be a way to stop them from coming. If I give them a wrong location, Snoke will know. So will General Hux."

Teebasha sighed, and widened her eyes suddenly. She gulped and slowly turned to Ben, her hands shaking a little.

"I think I have an idea, but this is _insane_."

"Tell me more."

"Do you know where you could get dead bodies?"

"Perhaps. Why?"

"Make sure you leave before the Stormtroopers. Leave without the whole squadron. Once you get to Dantooine, evacuate the villagers, and dress the bodies up as them. Just in case, hit them with your lightsaber to 'prove' that you killed them with it. Destroy the village, once the Stormtroopers are here. They won't inspect the bodies. Before you leave Dantooine, burn the village."

Ben's eyebrows knitted together as he listened to Teebasha's suggestion. He crossed an arm across his chest and held his chin between his fingers, stopping in his tracks.

"This is insane, indeed," he stated, "but for now, that's our best solution."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. You will go to the Resistance base on D'Qar and start discussing our main plan to overthrow the First Order. Of course, you will tell them about what's happening on Dantooine to reassure them. Once I'm done, I'll meet you there. It's time for me to face her."

"Alright. I'm leaving right now."

"Be careful, okay?"

"You too, _Kylo Ren_."

Teebasha gulped and gave his shoulder a pat before running out of the training room. She hurried up to her personal room to get R2. The droid was peacefully sleeping beside her bed, but woke up as soon as she opened the door.

"R2," she called him, "hurry up. We're leaving for D'Qar."

The droid beeped and followed his owner through the many corridors of the Star Destroyer. They soon found themselves in the middle of the hangar, heading towards Teebasha's Jedi Interceptor. She loaded it quickly with her weapons just in case, and waited for R2 to settle in his socket. She jumped inside the ship and while the cockpit closed, she put on her headset and turned on the engines.

Instinctively, Teebasha looked up to the control room with Ben in mind. She knew he was not in there, but he still was on board.

" _Good luck, Master. May the Force be with you_."

Ten seconds later, the Jedi Interceptor was far in outer space.


	18. Chapter 17

Two masculine figures darted across the yard surrounded by green forests and fields. One of them was wearing a brown leather jacket whose left shoulder was red; his skin was dark and his brown eyes were staring straight ahead. He clasped the blaster he kept in his hands, ready to defend himself if necessary. Next to him ran an older man wearing a uniform of the Resistance; his longer black locks stroked his tanned forehead and were brushed back by the wind.

Both hurried up to a ship that had just landed: it was a blue and white Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor. The canopy rose, and a woman jumped out of it, grabbing a backpack she threw across her shoulder. When she looked up, she spotted the two other men she had not noticed earlier.

"Finn! Poe!" she smiled. "It's good to see you both again!"

"Hi, Teebasha," Poe greeted her, leaning against the wing of her starfighter. "What brings you here on this beautiful day?"

Finn and Teebasha both chuckled and turned their heads as they heard a loud thump behind them. Her droid had just jumped out of its socket; it bypassed the ship and stood between Poe and Teebasha.

The pilot bent in two and petted the droid's back.

"Hi there, buddy! Good to see you stand on your own two feet!"

R2 beeped as a protest, remembering the only time he had met Poe, when he had collapsed because of a guard.

The young woman adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and cleared her throat, facing the two other men.

"What brings me here on this beautiful day is the need to organise an open meeting to discuss our plan to overthrow Snoke and the First Order," she answered his previous question with a lopsided smirk.

"So it's real, huh?" Finn replied, looking up at her. "Kylo Ren and the Resistance actually formed an alliance? Master Luke didn't tell us about all that, he only told General Organa. Rey mentioned it, but didn't tell us much either, she didn't know if she was allowed to tell."

"It should not be a secret. By the way, the Resistance didn't form an alliance with Kylo Ren, but with _Ben Solo_. Believe me, Finn, it's not the same person contrary to what we might think."

"Come with us," Poe said," we're taking you to the meeting room. If there's a strategy to find, we'll most likely be asked to stay."

Teebasha nodded. Poe offered her his hand to help her get off the starship, and she accepted it gladly. The three of them – well, _four_ with R2 – headed for the main entrance of the base; before they entered the tunnel, Teebasha brought two of her fingers to her forehead and saluted the guards who had stopped her from entering the time before.

From the corner of his eyes, Finn watched the older woman walking. After she had left the base when she first came, all the Admirals and other leaders started to gossip about the issue of an alliance with the Commander of the First Order. Many people were opposed to it, and that was only fair; after all, it was Kylo Ren who had murdered Han Solo, and so many other innocent people or creatures. As a former Stormtrooper, Finn did not really know whether he should stand against it or not. Yet despite all the reasons he could find to be opposed to this decision, he knew that as long as the First Order is crushed and peace is brought to the Galaxy, then it could only be good if _that_ decision was what could lead to it.

Poe opened the doors of a large meeting room he knew only too well. At first glance it seemed empty, but they soon noticed four figures sitting together around a table. Teebasha immediately recognised Rey and Luke; the two other men were two Admirals of the Resistance, Admiral Statura who was human, and Admiral Ackbar who was a Mon Calamari. They all turned to those who had just arrived, and a wide smile appeared on Rey's face as she spotted Finn and Poe.

"Teebasha?" Luke said with a blink. "What a surprise!"

"Good afternoon, Master Skywalker. I'm sorry to come unexpectedly, but Ben and I thought that maybe the open meeting could take place today if you can."

"Sure, but where is Ben?"

"I had to come alone. He will meet us later."

The Jedi Knight nodded in approval and stood up. As walked up to her, the doors opened, revealing a smiling General Organa. Leia came up to the young woman and rested her hands on her shoulders.

"Welcome back, Teebasha," she greeted. "The guards alerted me of your presence and told me you were in good hands."

"It's a pleasure to see you, General," Teebasha grinned. "I'm really sorry that I'm showing up unexpectedly, but Ben thought that we could start pondering over a strategy for the attack on the First Order."

"That's a great idea," Leia approved before her smile faded. She leant closer and started to whisper. "Where is he?"

"He had to go on a mission for Snoke, but he'll join us later."

Leia nodded sadly and took a deep breath to cheer herself up. She went up to Admiral Statura to ask him to go get the other leaders, especially the pilots. In less than five minutes, the meeting room was crowded with Majors, Admirals, and pilots. They all stood in a circle, chattering as they waited for the meeting to start.

A golden protocol droid walked up to Leia and told her that everyone was there. At the same moment, the smaller droid following him let out a loud beep in Teebasha's direction. Finn and Poe looked down at her droid simultaneously and smirked, knowing what was up.

"What are those manners, R2?" the golden droid scolded. "Oh! Th-The droid over there looks just like you!"

Leia stared at Teebasha's R2 unit droid and chuckled.

"Is that an R2-D2 you've got here?" she asked.

"No, General," Teebasha grinned, "this is an R2-D5. It used to be all green, but I hate that colour. I guess yours is an R2-D2?"

"He is."

"Well, nice to meet you, R2-D2. Sorry for the confusion."

The two R2 beeped at the same time, which amused the former Stormtrooper and the pilot. Suddenly, everyone in the room turned silent, as Luke stepped in the middle of the circle, one hand raised. He slipped his thumbs under his belt and let his eyes wander across the room.

"As some of you may have heard, the Resistance formed an alliance with the Commander of the First Order, Kylo Ren. I know that many of you are opposed to this decision, since you know what kind of atrocities he has committed in the past. From now onwards I'm asking you to refer to him as Ben Solo, his real name. Kylo Ren and Ben Solo are two different men, and the Resistance will _never_ ally itself with Kylo Ren. Now that this is clarified, I would like to introduce Teebasha Varn, Ben Solo's apprentice who came to us today to request a meeting with all the leaders."

Everyone turned to the young woman who gave them a nod. She crossed her arms against her torso as Luke carried on.

"It is time to think about a strategy to take down the First Order. Four days ago, I met Ben Solo and Teebasha Varn on Kidron for a private meeting. I can vouch for his honesty. His intentions are sincere, and he will not pose a threat to us. We started to think about a plan to take down the Order. Maybe Agent Varn would like to share it with us? Or Rey?"

"I volunteer," Rey's voice rose from the crowd. She stepped forward and stood next to her mentor. "Ben Solo announced that he wanted to turn his back to the Dark side and join our cause. However, he and his apprentice must engage in double dealing so Snoke won't execute both of them and crush us. They will be the ones to overthrow their Supreme Leader, and since their superweapon will take a lot of time to be built, we must stop them before they finish it. What was suggested during the private meeting was that while Solo and Varn trap Snoke aboard the _Finalizer_ , our pilots will attack the ship and destroy their TIE Fighters and cannons. Master Skywalker will be able to sneak in and help them beat Snoke. Then, once we get them, we will destroy the ship and therefore, the First Order."

The room remained incredibly quiet after Rey's speech. She looked all around her, in search for a reaction. Finn frowned and raised his voice.

"How will that be possible? It won't be easy to simply make Snoke come out of his hiding place. He never came to Starkiller base, even when it was completed."

"We thought about finding out where all the extra ships and hangars are," Teebasha added, "and destroying them first. Maybe when Snoke hears about this, he will want to come to the _Finalizer_ to check everything by himself."

"I think this is a good idea," Poe approved, "but our squadron is too small to lead such an attack. We'll be outnumbered by the TIE Fighters. We lost a lot of pilots when we attacked Starkiller."

"That's what I thought too," Rey said worriedly.

A sudden gasp interrupted the conversation. When they all figured out where it came from, Leia sank into a bench, her hand over her heart; her eyes were wide open, and she had turned incredibly pale all of a sudden. Finn ran up to her and knelt down beside her to make sure she was alright.

She stared into space, trembling.

"Something didn't go as planned," she whispered.

Teebasha felt an unexpected pain in her limbs, which made her light-headed for a second. She felt someone wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep her up, and when she turned her head, her eyes locked with Poe's.

"What is going on?" he mouthed worriedly.

She shrugged and shook her head. She didn't know herself.

The doors of the room opened, and some people stepped aside to let a Major approach Leia, who was trying to calm herself down. She looked up at the young Major standing before her with a pale face.

"General Organa," she started with a trembling voice, "our team on Dantooine has been attacked. There are no survivors."

The shock was huge. Everyone remained silent while sharing looks with the people close to them. Teebasha looked all around and shook her head.

"No, they're not dead."

All the heads faced her, and she noticed some cold glares.

"Supreme Leader Snoke ordered Ben to attack your base on Dantooine. We came up with a strategy to avoid a mass murder. Your friends were replaced by dead bodies dressed up as them to mislead the Stormtroopers."

"I'm afraid you're being mistaken," the young Major replied with tears in her eyes. "All our friends have been murdered by Kylo Ren and his soldiers. The base burnt down."

Suddenly, Teebasha's knees gave in; Poe grabbed her by the waist and clasped her hand to keep her up. He repeated her name a few times, but she did not react at all. There were images flashing inside her brain, and her entire body felt numb. She tried desperately to fight those visions, but she was helpless.

Mutilated bodies covered the ground, surrounded by soldiers in white armours holding black blasters. There was the long red blade with the two smaller ones spinning abruptly, slashing innocent people and taking their lives one by one. Towering flames rose in the sky, destroying houses and hangars. A putrid smell floated in the air.

The village smelled like death.

Teebasha's eyes popped open; her corporeal temperature dropped, causing her whole body to shake. Poe watched her every move, feeling powerless and useless.

"Forming an alliance with Kylo Ren was the most terrible idea! What a foolish act!" Admiral Ackbar shouted, soon followed by some others.

"It's _Ben Solo_ ," Teebasha argued weakly. "Kylo Ren and Ben Solo aren't the same person…"

Leia stood up and witnessed a scene of rebellion from her Admirals. Still shaken by the sensation she had felt, she did not utter a word. As for Luke, he hurried up to Teebasha and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Teebasha, go back to your base, and have some rest. We're postponing the meeting."

"I-I don't understand, M-Master…"

"There must be a reason to that, Teebasha. Don't worry, we will find out. For the moment, go back to the _Finalizer_ and go to bed immediately. Ask R2-D5 to fly you there if you're too weak."

Teebasha nodded, her face drenched with sweat. Rey came up to her and turned to Poe.

"Let's bring her back to her ship."

Rey slipped Teebasha's left arm around her neck and held her at the waist; Poe did the same on the other side. R2-D5 followed them, beeping worriedly at Teebasha, who found herself too weak to even reply.

"Don't worry, R2," Poe grunted as he readjusted her arm around his neck, "she will be alright. I'm afraid you'll have to fly the ship on your own."

The walked up the tunnel and crossed the yard. The pilots who had just returned from their missions immediately cleared the way as they noticed them. They reached the Interceptor, and Rey climbed onto it, holding her arms out so Poe could lift Teebasha up to settle her inside the ship. Luke's apprentice fastened Teebasha's safety belts and knelt down on the wing.

"Teebasha?" she whispered. "Are you sure you can make it?"

"I will. I'm sorry about what happened on Dantooine. I don't understand."

"As Master Skywalker said, don't worry about all that. First you must recover from your shock," Poe interrupted her.

"But we came out with that strategy! He had to find dead bodies and dress them up as your friends before the Stormtroopers would come! He had to evacuate everyone! Snoke send him to stop the team on Dantooine… They were ready to lead an attack on the First Order!"

Poe and Rey faced each other, a look of disbelief on their faces. They remained silent for a moment, before the young man whispered something to Teebasha, taking her hand.

"Teebasha, there was never any attack."


	19. Chapter 18

Teebasha was in bed when someone firmly knocked on the door, startling her. She sat up in a hurry and instinctively picked up her lightsaber she had kept beside her just in case. For a long moment she stared at the entrance, her shaky hands clutching the hilt of her weapon, silently hoping that her unexpected visitor would just leave. Was it one of Snoke's loyal servants that came to kill her, after they found out about their secret alliance with the enemy? What if both she and Ben did not control their thoughts as well as they thought they did and the Supreme Leader managed to find out about their plan? Perhaps this sudden visit was her execution, and absolutely nobody would know.

She grabbed the locket she was wearing around her neck and brought it to her lips; she closed her eyes for a second and visualised her grownup sister as she saw her in her nightmares, and her parents. Gulping with difficulty, she let her thoughts go to Natelo'or and his family. Although it already was impossible to see her own ever again, she started to realise that maybe she would not see Natelo'or either. When there was another knock on the door, she mentally bid farewell to her long-time friend.

Her two hands clutched the hilt of her lightsaber; she got out of bed and faced the door. Taking a deep breath, she raised her voice before she realised it.

"Come in."

A mechanical hum resonated as the blast door slid to the left to open. Ben's tall and dark figure stepped in and slammed the door almost immediately after he walked it. Teebasha did not calm herself down now that she knew it was him; the terrible visions she had at the Resistance base played in repeat in her head. She shook it in a desperate attempt to get rid of those invading thoughts.

Ben turned to her and removed both his hood and his helmet. He threw them both aside, visibly not caring if his helmet broke. He stepped forward, and Teebasha huddled against the wall in her back.

"I came as fast as I could," Ben spoke hurriedly, his face now lit up by a thin ray of light coming from the circular window. "Captain Phasma told me you had to be taken to your room because you passed out when you got out of your ship."

She squinted her eyes, understanding only then how she found herself in her room when she did not recall crossing any corridor. Ben was staring at her and paused briefly.

"I was scared that you would be sick, or injured," he added with obvious concern.

"Can't be more injured than the villagers," she spat aggressively.

"Teebasha…"

"We found a _strategy_ to avoid this mass murder!" she scolded without letting go of her lightsaber. "You were supposed to dress up dead bodies with Resistance uniforms or whatever, not to kill every one of them!"

Ben heaved a sigh and ran a hand across his face. The voices of those who had begged him to spare them rose in his mind, causing him to cringe. He looked up at his apprentice and opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't say anything," she cut him off. "I don't want to hear any of your dumb excuses. Do you realise that the news broke while I was at the Resistance base, standing with all the leaders, pilots, and other members? Most of them are opposed to our alliance, Kylo. And what you did was exactly the element they needed to openly rise against our plan. Even Master Skywalker couldn't do anything to stop them! I could've been in great danger up there if Skywalker, Organa, Rey, Finn, and Poe didn't support us. More or less."

"I couldn't do otherwise, Teebasha!" Ben protested. "The Stormtroopers arrived before I did, it was too late for me to do anything to save them! Hux most likely sent them to Dantooine before I left to show how good a General he is to Snoke."

The lightsaber dropped to the ground and bounced three times before it lay still. Teebasha started to shake, and a teardrop rolled down her cheek. Ben frowned and took a slow step towards her, feeling powerless.

"You have no idea how horrible it was," she sobbed. "This vision… This vision I had there… I saw you killing all of them. I heard the screams and your lightsaber. I saw the flames, and I smelled death. It was just as though I was there. Like I was one of the villagers as well."

Ben approached her and rested his hands on her shoulder hesitantly. Comforting people had never been his forte; that was why he tended to avoid getting in such situations as much as possible. For once he did not really felt trapped at that moment; for the first time, he actually needed to comfort her.

"Teebasha," he whispered, "I'm so sorry I killed those villagers. I didn't want to, but you know very well that I _have_ to keep acting as Kylo Ren if I want to protect you, myself, and the Resistance. I can't let _B_ show."

"It's just that I thought you would stick to our plan. I should've gone with you. That way we wouldn't have needed the Stormtroopers."

"No, it was better that way. Had it been only us, they would've attacked us immediately instead of later."

Teebasha fixed him with a look and let out another sob. Ben awkwardly rubbed her shoulder in a sort of friendly way, wishing her weeping would cease. She sniffed and shook her head.

"Kylo," she intoned, "there was never any attack. Poe told me so. Snoke fooled us."

"What?" he gasped. "You mean I killed only for his own entertainment?"

"I don't know. But I'm starting to think that he knows about our secret. What if it was a test? Perhaps he wanted to see if we would still be capable of attacking our new allies. Remember, he asked me if I was ready to attack them."

"I have no idea," he sighed desperately. "I wish I could read in his mind like he does for both of us. I'm pretty sure we managed to block our thoughts when we spoke to him. If he has spies, that means we should be more careful."

Images of the killing appeared in Teebasha's mind out of the blue, rekindling all the sensations she had felt when she had the vision at the Resistance base. Her vision blurred and her knees gave in. Ben caught her before she would collapse, and looked all around him. He slid an arm around her waist and wrapped her right arm around his neck, walking her to her bed. He squeezed her gently against him to keep her up as he let go of her wrist to pull the sheets.

"Come here," he breathed.

He picked her up and laid her down on the thin mattress; he held the back of her head with the palm of his hand while he made her stretch out her legs. Once she touched the pillow, he took the corners of the sheets and covered her shaky body with them. He slid two fingers between his belt and his robes and took out the folded handkerchief she had given him. Then, he proceeded to wipe the sweat off her forehead and temples.

"You need to rest," he susurrated. "Take all the time you need to recover. It could be days, or weeks. I will go to the Resistance base tomorrow and lead the meeting myself. You did a wonderful job."

His voice sounded distant, and all she could see was blurry; however she understood each of his words, and repeated them mentally to get those images out of her head. She tried to lift her hand, but all her limbs were numb. Ben stared at her worriedly and pursed his lips with a light frown; he gulped and leant forward very slowly, as though he was trying not to scare a wild animal before capturing it. His lips met her forehead in a brief peck, and he pulled away quickly. Teebasha's eyes popped open and her cheeks turned red; without a word, Ben left the room, locking the door behind him.

Teebasha stared at the entrance, wondering if she had imagined it. Had she hallucinated? After all, she had her share of hallucinations on the trip back to the _Finalizer_ while R2 was piloting the Interceptor. For a long while, she kept gazing at the door, trying to tell reality from illusions.

Ben failed at falling asleep that night, despite his many attempts. There were too many things invading his brain: too many images he could not erase, too many sounds he could not silence. He pictured all the villagers falling one by one as his lightsaber slashed them. He recalled the tears flowing under his helmet as he tried to remain quiet. He saw the smiling faces of his parents after he did something good as a child – what was it already? Impossible to remember. He reminisced the painful expression on his father's face as the glowing red blade of his lightsaber stabbed him through the chest.

Despite his many attempts to recall his past good actions, they were always replaced by his awful and cruel ones. Being a monster was a habit for him now, and the young and kind-hearted Ben Solo he used to be did not even exist in his memory anymore. All the nice moments from his past were erased.

All of a sudden, the face of the only person who could bring light to his heart he had thought frozen appeared out of the blue.

"Teebasha," he breathed.

He winced and brought his hand to his abdomen, feeling an unexpected pain right there. He suspected the wound on his side to be the cause of this pain, but soon enough, he realised it was not. After a few moments, it felt oddly pleasant. Like a feeling of discomfort he would have loved to get used to and live with constantly.

A sigh escaped from his mouth as he slid his arm under his head and stared at the ceiling he could hardly see due to the darkness of his room.

What exactly was that _thing_ he was feeling? How come he had never felt such a thing before? Was that something he could only experience in his early thirties? He shook his head and closed his eyes.

Ben failed at falling asleep that night, kept awake by his restless mind. However, it was not that unpleasant, since it gave him the opportunity to admire Teebasha endlessly under his eyelids.


	20. Chapter 19

Reflections of the poor lighting shimmered on the silver inlays of the black mask. It emphasised the slits on its forehead and the several scuff marks here and there, either on the top of the head or on the inlays themselves. The helmet was more bulky than it seemed; it weighed in the palms of one's hands like a newborn – perhaps slightly heftier. With a single stroke of the finger on the breathing apparatus, one could feel the rough material it was made of.

The back of the helmet pushed on Teebasha's thighs as she examined the front part, smirking at the sight of the snoutlike apparatus. She wondered if Ben had even noticed he had left his quasi-legendary mask and his cloak in her room the night before.

Her smile faded as fast as it had appeared. Thoughts of the events that had happened the day before crossed her mind. She sighed. For the first time since he had revealed to her everything he had in mind, she wondered whether Ben actually _tried_ to fight the Kylo Ren in him. She could understand he had been left with no choice to wipe out the village on Dantooine, yet a certain level of disturbance in the Force caused her to suspect his sincerity. Indubitably, a massive change in his personality had occurred; Ben seemed to interact differently with both Kylo Ren and herself.

An incontrovertible evidence of that sudden transformation was the peck he gave to her forehead. Never had she thought he would have been capable of such a sign of affection. Even after the private conversation he had with his uncle after all these years, he did not seem too keen on showing his emotions. Whenever it would happen, it probably was against his own will. Moreover, it was obvious that he disliked – _loathed_ even – physical contact. He would often flinch when anyone touched him; it had happened with her a few times, but not always, surprisingly enough. As though her touch was the only one he could bear, perhaps the only one he would find comfort in. Even when Luke had rested his hands on his shoulders, he had flinched – yet his uncle's touch was the one he once was used to. Not hers.

Without any warning, unfamiliar images replaced her reflections on Ben's personality. Another vision. It showed the hangar on Iktotch, still heavily guarded by Stormtroopers and ran by Officers or Lieutenants of the First Order. Everything seemed to go perfectly well until the whole structure blew up. The sound of the explosion resonated in her ears, making her wince. Then, she saw the few remaining Stormtroopers aiming at an invisible target, peppering it in vain. They fell one by one, each struck by green blasts that no gun, however imposing it may be, could shoot.

Those blasts could only originate from starships.

Once the images disappeared, Teebasha jumped on her feet. She tucked the helmet under her arm and picked up Ben's cloak that lay on her bed; with the tip of her boot, she nudged R2-D5's side, waking him up. After she made sure her lightsaber was dangling at her belt, she stormed out of her bedroom and scurried through the quiet corridors. She passed by a few droids, careful not to kick or trip on them.

Sooner than she thought, she found herself standing before the closed blast doors she had sought. She slammed her fist against it, knocking as hard as she could. Had any bedrooms been around, she would have waken everyone up. Even the dead.

The blast door opened vertically, revealing Ben's figure. He was wide awake and wearing a plain black robe tightened at the waist by a thin belt. It let the top of his pale chest show, as though it was shyly peeking out of his garment. He seemed more than surprised to see her there. Never had she been around his private area of the ship.

Before she even spoke to him, she shoved his helmet and his cloak against his chest. He grabbed them clumsily, frowning as he stared at her, awaiting for an explanation.

"Quick! Put your clothes on!" she intoned. "We have to go to Iktotch _immediately_."

"What? Why?" he shook his head in confusion.

Teebasha grabbed him by the shoulders – briefly recalling the thoughts she had had in her bedroom – and he did not even flinch. His brown eyes locked with hers as she leant forward, her face halting a few inches from his.

"Iktotch is under attack," she breathed, "and I'm afraid it's the Resistance that's leading the attack."

"What makes you think so?"

"I've just had a vision. Like the one I had yesterday. The hangar on Iktotch blew up, and the remaining Stormtroopers have been killed. They were shot by blasts that can only originate from starships. Who else would attack the First Order? Besides, that's what we agreed on: attacking the different bases and hangars to reduce the number of troops."

"Crap!"

Ben ran back to his room and grabbed his outfit. He threw an insisting glance at his apprentice, who rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'm not looking," she sighed, turning her back to him. With a smirk, she then started to mumble at herself imitating the voice of an elderly person. "I've had my share of horrors during the war!"

"What did you say?"

"Absolutely nothing. Are you ready?"

She overheard his hurried footsteps behind her. A couple of seconds later, Ben was ready. They both headed towards the hangar, closely followed by Teebasha's mechanical friend. The whole place was rather quiet, since most of the pilots still had time to rest before they would go on duty. A few officers were sitting behind their panels in the control room, and were being inspected by General Hux.

Instead of hurrying up to the officer who was dealing with permissions for ships to leave, Ben and Teebasha ran up to Hux, who slowly turned to them, cocking an eyebrow.

"General Hux," Teebasha panted, "the hangar on Iktotch is under attack, and it's probably led by the Resistance."

"What are you talking about?" the red-haired general frowned, crossing his arms. "No attack has been reported recently. I'm afraid you're being mistaken, Varn."

"Please, General, I'm telling the truth. They blew up the base there."

"And how would you know about all this if you're not there yourself, or given all the news? Is that one of your mind tricks that your old religion enables you to do?"

The young apprentice turned to Ben with pleading eyes. The latter faced the man he always despised, ready to defend his protégée.

"Don't underestimate the power of the Force, Hux. Teebasha had a vision of the attack, and the Force never deceives anyone."

"Be realistic, Ren," General Hux rolled his eyes, "if there was any attack, I would have been notified."

"Could it be some sort of premonition?" Teebasha said under her breath to Ben. He pondered for a few seconds and slowly nodded. "Then, if that's a premonition, we must head to Iktotch right now. We must stop them from attacking us."

Teebasha and Ben both rushed towards Officer Orion, whose duty that day was to control the departures and arrivals of all the ships. She turned to her superior and stood upright, ensuring that her uniform was irreproachable. Her blond hair was tied in the back of her head, worn in a flawless bun. Her badge was clearly visible, and her belt was perfectly straight.

Letting out a discreet sigh of relief, she remained calm, although his massive scar frightened her more than anything.

"Good morning, Commander," she spoke with a nod. "May I help you?"

"I must leave aboard my Upsilon, Officer Orion. _Alone_ , with my apprentice. She does not have a license, but she can pilot it."

"Well, of course, Sir. I guess I can bend the rules for this time," her voice shook in fear, knowing more than well she was not allowed to.

"I will cover for you, Officer," Ben raised his hand. "No need to worry."

"Oh, thank you, Commander!"

She immediately typed something in her computer, and within ten seconds, she was facing them both again.

"I've registered your departure. Your ship is awaiting you. There is no cord attached to it, contrary to the TIE Fighters, you are free to take off whenever you are ready."

"Thank you, Officer Orion."

Under Hux's haughty gaze, the mentor and his apprentice exited the control room. They headed towards the lift; the doors opened right away and they stepped inside. They nearly huddled together so R2 would fit in the narrow space. Taking advantage of the lack of Stormtrooper presence, Ben turned to Teebasha.

"I can't believe they're attacking without consulting us!" he grunted.

"I don't understand what they're doing at all! I mean, Master Luke could've alerted us, just by using the Force, as you do with me!"

Ben shook his head and the lift stopped. They let R2 roll out of it first, then the three of them went in the Upsilon's direction. The bay door of the shuttle opened in a loud mechanical sigh, and as soon as the platform reached the ground, the trio walked it up, locking themselves inside the ship after they made sure nobody was inside.

Teebasha dropped herself on the pilot's seat, strapping herself to it; meanwhile, R2-D5 settled in co-pilot position and Ben sat down on the back seat, like when he was five. The young woman activated the controls and flicked a few switches. A few manoeuvres later, the Upsilon rose from the ground, the ion engines growling like monsters. With the yoke, Teebasha made it spin so its front would face the large exit.

"Let's go."

The shuttle moved forward at a slow pace, its wings remaining huddled together. After a quick side glances to ensure they had left the Star Destroyer, Teebasha pushed the yoke as hard as she could, quickening its speed. The wings parted and slid upwards, which meant that from then on, they could enter hyperspace as soon as they could.

The Upsilon was gaining speed quite fast, thanks to R2-D5. Next to him, Teebasha was making the calculations for the jump to light speed. Around three minutes later, she sat up and turned to her mechanical friend.

"We're ready for the jump to light speed, R2. I've got the coordinates on the navi-computer. Let's activate the hyperdrive."

A beep of approval escaped the droid. The two of them focused on the commands, and the Upsilon entered hyperspace; the stars were turned into streaks of light, looking like they stroked the outside of the ship.

Teebasha sighed and let herself fall backwards, her head crashing against the headrest. She made her seat rotate to the right and gazed at Ben with a joyless grin.

"I really hope we'll get an explanation," she sighed. "What I fear is that they're attacking _us_ as a whole, not just the First Order by following our plan."

"Have you told them the plan during the meeting yesterday?"

"Rey did. They seemed to agree, but even Poe noted that they didn't have enough pilots to lead the mission. Our pilots killed a lot of them during the fight on Starkiller."

"Exactly what Rey feared as well," he nodded, staring into space. "By the way, Teebasha, if we get to arrive before their squadron, we must _not_ help them. At all. If we're part of the attack, someone might alert General Hux, or anyone else, and Snoke will sense it. I don't know why we left in the first place, because all we can do is watch."

"We need to get an explanation, and confront them if necessary. Besides, yesterday you told me you would go to the Resistance base today to reschedule the meeting."

Ben shrugged and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that nothing's going as planned. We may have earned Skywalker and Rey's trust –"

"You forgot Organa," she cut him off while smiling lopsidedly. "She trusts you too. With her life."

"Well, we may have earned Skywalker, Rey, and _Organa_ 's trust, but if there's a riot inside the Resistance, this is definitely not going to end well. If their own camp is divided, our alliance is going to be severely weakened by it. I can bet on that."

"General Organa will manage to calm them down and find an agreement between the two camps. Don't worry about that. I don't know her very well, but I can tell she's strong-minded, wise, and very clever. You know that more than I do, so you have an idea."

A series of beep emanating from the navi-computer interrupted their conversation. Teebasha took a look at the control panel and pressed a button.

"Iktotch isn't too far now. Strap yourself to your seat. Friendly advice."

His eyebrows knitted together, and before he realised it, the Upsilon left hyperspace. The halt was so abrupt that he found himself ejected from his seat, ready to flow right through the windshield. Without looking away from the navi-computer, Teebasha instinctively stretched out her right arm; his stomach collided with her forearm, and her strength was enough to save him.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ben sat back down and ran a hand through his hair, his pale face turning red.

"Thank you."

"I told you to strap yourself to your seat. Do you obey anyone else's advice at all?" she smirked.

"It happened too fast for me to react!"

R2-D5's head pivoted as he beeped repeatedly. Teebasha turned to the windshield and squinted her eyes. A whole group of X-wings was floating near Iktotch, not too far from them.

"They're heading towards Iktotch! We still have time," Ben observed.

His apprentice picked up the headset on her left and put it on. She fumbled with a few commands and lowered the microphone near to her mouth. She leant forward and pressed a button, staring at the squadron.

"Red squadron, red squadron," she called, "Upsilon-class command shuttle here. Teebasha Varn speaking."

No reply. With a grunt, she pressed a few more buttons and flicked a switch, trying to get in touch with one of the pilots. She pondered for a second and nodded at herself.

"Black Leader, Upsilon-class command shuttle here. Teebasha Varn speaking. Do you copy?"

"Teebasha Varn," a voice answered, "Black Leader, aka Poe Dameron, speaking. What are you doing here? Over."

"I had a vision this morning, and I saw your squad attacking the hangar on Iktotch. We came as fast as we could. We can't help you, otherwise we will be denounced. What's going on? Why are you attacking? Over."

"We started to put your strategy into action. Master Skywalker ordered the destruction of the only known base of the First Order, since the opposition you witnessed is still very strong amongst our members. Over."

"I see. Please do tell us next time you move onto an offensive. If you keep taking decisions behind our backs, our alliance might be very well disturbed. Over."

"We do understand, Teebasha. I thought you had been notified about it, I apologise. Anyway, I advise you to go back to the _Finalizer_ and stay there until we get in touch with you or ask you for a meeting. If they see you around here, you'll be in trouble. Go back and keep training yourselves, it's very important. If you own a communication device, we will get in touch with you using that. Give us the code if you do. Over."

Teebasha felt R2 nudging her leg. She looked down and noticed he was handing her a small communication device she had not used in a long while. She thanked the droid and grabbed the small cylindrical object. She scrubbed the side and pressed the button that would enable her to get in touch with Poe.

"Poe? You're still here? Over."

"I am, Teebasha. Do you have a code? I'll record the conversation. Over."

"Alright. My code is 20161218. Over."

"We will get in touch with you as soon as possible. Now quick, flee the area before they notice you. See you very soon, I hope. Take care. Over and out."

The signal died right away. Teebasha removed the handset and threw it aside. She and R2 proceeded to turn back, flying away from Iktotch. Ben clutched the arm of his seat and frowned. Officer Claetis's face came through his mind for a moment, making him cringe at the idea that everyone was going to be murdered coldly; it was quite unusual from Luke to order the destruction of a crowded place.

"Dameron is right," he spoke to distract himself. "Our training should be our priority. We should train longer each day. That way we'll make sure we're ready to overthrow the Supreme Leader."

"I agree," Teebasha nodded with determination. "We'll track the actions of the Resistance from afar, but we won't interfere unless they ask us to. I can already sense that we are close to our goal."

Once they arrived on the _Finalizer_ , they unfastened their safety belts and turned off the ion engines. The main platform slid down, and when the bay door opened, it revealed General Hux's figure waiting patiently for them to come out. When they did, he blocked their way and his eyes filled with wrath.

"An attack reported against our hangar on Iktotch!" he shouted. "You left before it happened, and you did not even manage to stop the X-wing squadron from blowing it up! What are you good at?!"

"We couldn't do anything to stop them, General," Teebasha faked a concerned tone, which seemed to unsettle Hux. "They got there first, and they were too close to be blocked."

"You could've open fire on them! You haven't been seen in the atmosphere!"

"Had we stayed there, we would've been killed. The Upsilon is not well-equipped."

Teebasha sighed and bypassed him, heading towards the corridors. Ben exchanged a look with Hux and followed his apprentice alongside her droid. When they met in the corridor, she smiled.

"You're such a good actress," Ben chuckled softly. "He was quite taken aback."

"That's the aim! I learnt that from smugglers!"

They laughed and quietly walked towards the training room. They closed the doors and got rid of their cloak or their jacket. Ben grabbed his lightsaber at his belt and smirked as he noticed Teebasha doing exactly the same thing from across the room. She turned to R2, confused in the middle of all this.

"Turn yourself off if you wish, R2," his friend spoke with a friendly smile. "This training might be long."

The droid bounced from one feet to the other and watched the two temporary rivals turning on their weapons. Soon enough, the clashing sounds of their lightsabers filled the room, and the Force floated all around them, penetrating them as they used several mind tricks to take advantage on the other.

Their training intensified as each day went; every night as they went back to their rooms, they would immediately crash on their beds and fall asleep almost immediately. Even Ben did not have enough time to let his thoughts wander and remind him of his family and the crimes he committed. Han had temporarily disappeared from his mind, and his emotional pain had vanished.

Hangars and bases of the First Order were taken down one by one by Poe's squadron, after Teebasha and Ben would be notified. Supreme Leader Snoke, who obviously knew about the attacks, blamed General Hux for his incapacity to train an army that would actually defend itself, defend its bases, and would strike back.

After a few weeks, Ben and Teebasha came to an agreement.

They were ready for Snoke.


	21. Chapter 20

A deep, harrowing silence reigned over the dimly lit training room. Her limbs were still and relaxed; the tips of her fingers softly brushed the sides of her knees. Heels firmly planted in the ground like roots, she felt the Force flowing through her veins like electricity inside the wires of a device or a machine. It turned her into an unshakeable generator that could run a thousand computers at once for hours without passing out or passing away. Sticking out a little, her chest rose and lowered as air filled her lungs ever so slowly; she had a certain control over her pulse, keeping it quiet despite all the concentration and strength she was using.

The veins of her temples or neck did not jut out even one second as she stared deeply into Ben's eyes, as though she could see through his skull and into his brain. She seemed to be watching his nervous system in action, its endings sending electrical commands to his muscles. The look on her face was purely neutral; she seemed passive to this thing that was happening, invisible to the eye.

Effortlessly, she was blocking the way to her mind, closing an imaginary gate by wrapping a heavy chain of steel around its bars, then slipping a padlock through its links to ensure nobody could get in. She visualised blast doors as heavy as those of the _Finalizer_ sealed behind this same gate, adding extra safety to her brain.

As for Ben, he gathered all his strength to probe Teebasha's mind, his cupped hand risen before him, his palm facing his apprentice. Wrinkles marked his chin and his forehead as he pursed his lips and frowned, focusing on what he could or could not see. He could picture the gate and the doors; he mentally pictured himself slashing the chain and the padlock with his lightsaber, in vain. It clashed against the cold steel, sparks spewing from them, but it would not yield.

It had been going on for about an hour, Ben desperately attempting to read her thoughts, while she mentally pushed him away without much difficulty. It was incredible how much she had improved herself; she whose muscles would immediately tense up whenever she tried to block the path to her mind – however successfully – could now do it more efficiently without blinking.

Finally, Ben's hand lowered and gazed his leg. He gave a nod at his apprentice, who crossed her arms with a smirk.

"I'm getting real good at this!"

"Not only _good_ , Teebasha. Don't let that go to your head, but you were _perfect_. Keep it up."

"Thank you, Master!" she grinned proudly.

She brought her hand up to her chin and scratched it. Her eyebrows knitted together as she then proceeded to stretch her back. She glanced at Ben, who was slowly pacing up and down aimlessly, probably waiting for her to say something.

"I don't know about you, Teebasha, but I'm exhausted. I bet you are too," he eventually broke the silence. "How about we go get a hot beverage at the cafeteria and head to my personal room to enjoy it and have a talk?"

"Ooh, Master Ren is inviting me on a date!"

The both of them laughed. Teebasha raised her hand and attracted her lightsaber to her palm. It flew through the air, crossing the room like a lightning bolt. She attached it to her belt and turned to her mentor, nodding approvingly. They left the training room and quietly walked through the few corridors leading to the cafeteria he had shown her on her first day. They both ordered a large cup of coffee; once they were given their drinks, they thanked the waiter and headed towards Kylo's wing.

Ben opened the blast doors and stepped aside to let Teebasha go in first. He locked the door behind them so they would not be disturbed, and beckoned her to take the only seat in the room. Her dark brown eyes gazed at him and she shook her head.

"No, thanks. You sit down. I can sit on the floor," she said.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"You're the crippled one, not I," she mocked him, pushing him to make him lose his balance and fall on the chair. Normally this type of behaviour would make him lose his temper, but since it was coming from Teebasha, he did not even mind. Actually he even started to enjoy physical contact with her more and more; he even longed for her touch or her voice at night when the hours seemed to last an eternity.

Teebasha sat cross-legged on the floor and started to sip her coffee. Ben admired her before remembering he had his own drink too. He heard her sigh and looked back at her.

"I'm completely knackered," she admitted. "I bet that when we put our plan into action, it'll take days for me to recover, probably a week!" She took another sip of her beverage and gazed at Ben with a serious look on her face. "By the way, Kylo, when do you think we should tell the Resistance that we are ready for the attack?"

"As soon as possible. We must act shortly, because Snoke has already ordered the construction of his new weapon, and it's being built faster than I thought."

"I could fly us both to the Resistance base tomorrow, then we will tell them. Then we'll be able to develop our strategy, since we didn't go last time."

"That's the best thing we can do. We could go today, but honestly I'm too tired."

"Me too." Teebasha drank a gulp of coffee, staring at her boots. With her fingernail, she scratched the bit of dirt that was stuck to her sole; it crashed on the floor and broke into pieces. She took a deep breath and looked up to her mentor, who was quietly sipping his beverage, staring into space. It was crazy how within a few weeks his face looked much more relaxed. Since he told her about his wish to rebel against the First Order, and since they have been practising intensively to achieve this goal, he seemed more at peace with himself. He never complained about his guilt any more, and barely spoke about his father. The first time she saw his face, it constantly looked distorted by hate and anger; now he seemed more at ease, and his face looked more harmonious than it used to.

In the middle of the heavy silence, Ben's voice rose and struck her like a caress, which was the kind of sensation he would usually feel with her voice.

"Hey, Teebasha," he spoke softly, "what do you think will happen once we destroy the First Order? I mean, the New Republic has disappeared, what will become of the Galaxy?"

"I hope the Resistance will found a new Senate with the help of Luke, and that they will find allies on each planet to represent their cause there," she answered truthfully.

"I don't think this kind of system actually works," Ben shrugged. "Unfortunately I fear that the Resistance won't lead to anything good in the future."

Teebasha's eyes widened; she was baffled by his statement. She shook her head and furrowed her brow.

"Then what do you think will happen? What would you like to see?"

"I don't know," he shrugged once again. "But I think there must be one leader to rule everything for a system to actually work."

"Kylo, that's exactly what Snoke is doing," she drew the parallel. "Now that there's no more Republic, the only leader that exists is Snoke. But since you've allied yourself with the Resistance, that proves that the system you're talking about is everything but efficient."

"There are other alternatives to this. There could be two leaders instead of one."

Ben's dark eyes laid on his apprentice; Teebasha thought she perceived a gleam of tenderness in his gaze. Her eyebrows knitted together as she found herself fascinated by this sudden look he was giving her. Never had he looked at her that way. Or any way close to that. His last sentence played on repeat inside her head, and she tried desperately to find a meaning to it.

"I don't quite understand," she whispered. "What would be the point of taking down the First Order if your only wish is to replace Snoke by a new sort of emperor? Or king? The First Order is an Empire, a tyranny, and now that the Senate blew, Snoke is the only leader of the Galaxy."

"Not for very much longer, Teebasha," he intoned. "If there are two leaders, they can take decisions together!"

"Kylo, what do you think Senators do? They gather at the Senate to discuss the main issues they have to deal with, they debate, and they come to conclusions by vote. They make decisions together as well, in a more democratic way." She paused briefly and chuckled nervously. "What you describe still resembles an Empire. The reason why we want to destroy the First Order is that we can re-establish a Galactic Republic with a new Senate. It's a chance to give all those people their voice back so they can express themselves without fearing the worst! We must give them their freedom of speech back!"

"Even if their opinion is selfish, hateful, and cruel?"

"Of course. As long as they don't harm one another, that's a right we can't take away from them."

Ben snickered and brought his cup to his lips, taking one of the last gulps that remained at the bottom and started to get cold. He played with the cup and watched the liquid twirl inside it as he furrowed his brow.

"I could be this leader," he declared.

"What?"

"Yes, just think about it: I have the temper of a leader, and I know how to make people follow the rules. _My_ rules. I'm strong enough to handle all the responsibilities and the pressure."

"Y-You're going crazy," her eyes widened as she slowly shook her head in disbelief. "And I'm not so sure you could handle the pressure. Remember the day we met? You nearly blew a fuse when I turned your mental probing against you. And many times, I've seen you getting mad at simple things. You wouldn't be a good leader."

"That's why I would need someone clever and wise by my side to rule them all. Someone strong-minded and thoughtful. The only person I know who has all those qualities in them is you. If I reign over the Galaxy, I want to reign with you."

That was enough for Teebasha. Although she felt a bit moved by his compliment, she stood up in a rush and threw her cup on the floor. It shattered in a thousand pieces of glass, bouncing on the steel floor. Ben turned pale, staring at her as she stood before him, her fists clenched. Her cheeks were red, and her pupils were almost invisible.

"How can you say such things, Kylo?!" she scolded him. "Despite your alliance with the Resistance, you still find a way to give that sort of speech? Clearly you don't have the same ideals and values."

"Ideals are ridiculous. Abstract ideas and goals have reigned for too long. It's time for people to have tangible ideas to follow."

"You're nothing but a tyrant! All the things you've heard from the First Order have gone to your head! How? How can you even think that way when your main priority is to destroy the system you're in against your will? You want to destroy it only to build the same thing from its ashes. Nonsense!"

"I would be a greater leader than Snoke is!" his voice rose as he stood up to face her more closely. He towered over her, his face distorted by anger all of a sudden.

"But that's not what you're seeking, _B_!" her voice trembled. "Why did you join the Resistance if you don't even agree with their policy?"

"Don't make me regret having taken you under my wing, Teebasha," he said coldly.

Teebasha felt tears of anger filling her eyes. She turned away for a second, trying to calm herself. She would not give him the pleasure to see her cry. Her lips pursed, and she spat one last thing at him.

"Your project is as ridiculous as the abstract ideals you condemn. Perhaps even more. All that thing you're planning, it's a vicious circle!"

"So you're against me? Why are you even here talking to me then? Get out of my way!" he yelled unexpectedly.

Before thinking, she felt a stinging sensation in the fingers of her right hand. When she saw Ben bringing his hand to his cheek with round eyes, she understood her gesture. Far from regretting it, she stormed out of the room without a word, leaving him in his room, dumbfounded.


	22. Chapter 21

In a long engine purr, the Upsilon slowly landed on the ground, next to a white and orange X-Wing whose pilot seemed to be away. Inside the dark cockpit, Teebasha pulled a lever, silencing the shuttle. Sitting next to her, eyes scanning the surroundings, Ben clutched the arms of his seat. For the first time in his life, he found himself at the Resistance base, where he knew people were rather hostile towards their alliance with the Commander of the First Order. Although he had not met anyone yet, he did not feel welcome at all, even inside his own starship.

Their trip through the galaxy to reach D'Qar had been awfully quiet, as Teebasha had refused to say a word to her master since their argument about politics. She now had upsetting doubts as to his real intentions; he may have proven all this operation was not a probation in her training, but his opinion regarding the establishment of a new Republic and a new Senate by the Resistance confused her. He had willingly joined forces with those who fought against the tyranny of the Order, yet he visibly did not share their ideal about the future of the galaxy. Then, why did he bother forming this alliance?

What struck her in his whole speech was the fact that he asked _her_ to rule the galaxy by his side. Why would he want such a thing, knowing her stance on this issue? She had never hesitated one bit between serving a tyranny and helping those who believed in democracy, even if it implied that she had to fool one of those two camps. And yet, he did not ask anyone else to reign with him. Of all the powerful beings of this galaxy, of all the leaders on every planet, he had chosen _her_ – a former bounty hunter, penniless and without any possession other than an old Jedi shuttle, a droid, and a friend on a planet far, far away. Although it sufficed to her, what exactly did she have to be the one he chose?

Teebasha unfastened her safety belt and stood up, picking up her lightsaber, which she attached to her trousers. R2 beeped, telling her he would stay inside the Upsilon to fix a broken wire inside the machines. As she proceeded to leave the ship, she noticed that Ben was not following her. She spun round and saw him sitting still on his seat, staring into space with pursed lips. Since they had landed, he had not moved at all.

Images of him and his family flashed endlessly through his mind, breaking his heart already deeply ridden with guilt. After flashes of his father's smile as he flew the Millennium Falcon through other systems, he glimpsed the menacing red blade of his own lightsaber impaling his chest brutally. The sight of his father grinning immediately disappeared, revealing instead his stiff body falling from the platform they both had been standing on.

"Ben?" his apprentice whispered. "They're waiting for us."

Ben sniffed and looked down for a moment, lifting his hand up to where his scar spread across his face. The throbbing pain he would feel each time his thoughts would wander back to the tragedy was back, and it did not seem ready to let go of him. A single tear rolled down his right cheek, which he dried immediately with his index finger wrapped in leather.

"I-I'll have to face them," his voice cracked.

" _Them_?" Teebasha repeated with a frown. "Who are you talking about?"

"Chewbacca, and… my mother."

Taking a deep breath and sympathising with him despite her distrust in him, she approached him slowly. Once he was within reach, she rested a friendly hand on his shoulder and softly rubbed it with her thumb.

"I don't know who Chewbacca is, but I know your mother is waiting for you with open arms. She still loves you, don't ever doubt that."

Letting out a sigh, Ben nodded hesitantly. He unbuckled his belt and followed her to the exit of the ship. The steel ramp lowered in a hurry, and they both advanced before it even touched the ground. As the first details of their surroundings met their eye, they noticed a tall, masculine figure dressed in a brown uniform standing a few feet away from them, next to an eight-shaped droid looking at them curiously.

"Welcome back, Teebasha," the man said with a toothy grin.

"Thank you, Poe," she smiled back, hugging him briefly. "I'm glad to see you again."

Poe patted her shoulder, then nervously turned to Ben, reaching out to him politely. The latter shook his hand a bit clumsily, obviously not being used to that kind of gesture. BB-8 instinctively hid behind his master's legs, yet still taking a peek or two at Ben. The four of them crossed the ship yard, bypassing the many warships kept there. As they walked past Poe's X-Wing, the latter broke the heavy silence.

"General Organa has gathered all the present members of the Resistance in the meeting room. Master Skywalker is here as well, with both Rey and Finn. By the way, the Resistance recently found new fighters for our operation. That way we won't be outnumbered by the TIE pilots during the battle."

"Congratulations," Teebasha exclaimed happily. "I hope they are ready to face this great danger. This is quite huge for a first mission. But I'm rather confident that it will be a success."

"They all are. They know what this is all about, this is why most of them showed up on their own. We're still training them, but they're all learning quite fast."

They dived into the tunnel leading to the base itself, and headed towards the meeting room, where Teebasha had first met General Organa and Luke Skywalker. Once the blast doors appeared ahead of them, Ben instinctively wrapped an arm around Teebasha's waist, seeking reassurance. Without turning to him despite her surprise, she put her hand over his, stroking his fingers in an attempt to let him know she was there for him, silently promising everything would go just well.

Poe opened the doors and stepped inside, standing upright as he faced the crowd gathered in the meeting room.

"General Organa," he announced, "our guests have arrived."

Leia, who was standing in front of him between Admiral Ackbar and her golden protocol droid, turned to him with a strained smile.

"Thank you, Poe Dameron. Let them in. Our meeting is about to begin."

The hubbub echoing through the room turned to silence. Tension built inside Ben, who suddenly felt like running away from that place. For once, he simply did not feel brave or strong enough to face a difficult situation. However, when Teebasha took a step forward, he could not do otherwise. Poe shuffled out of the way, and the two double agents entered the room in a slow pace. All the pilots, the officers, the lieutenants, the droids, and the others were staring at them curiously in a dead calm, stiffening at the sight of the man who – used to be – was their archenemy. Not a single word was uttered, but the eyes were full of mistrust, of ire, and for some, full of hatred. None of them trusted that man, who dared stand before their general after killing the one who had supported them even from afar, and who once was Organa's husband. His men had killed their partners, colleagues, and friends, and his only purpose until then had been to track them to wipe them all out. However, none of them expressed their disapproval, nor did they speak up against him – they knew General Organa and Skywalker did not trust just anybody, and if they considered him trustworthy, then it could only mean he was.

Teebasha immediately spotted Leia and smiled respectfully at her; then, she saluted Luke, who was standing close to his apprentice and a towering Wookiee. Hearing a soft gasp coming from her left, she looked back at the teary-eyed general, whose gaze was locked with Ben's.

Leia's son was shuddering, staring deep into his mother's eyes, a lump forming in his throat. He was bewildered that despite the weight of his past, a smile had appeared on her face as soon as she caught glimpse of him. Through that look they shared, he could feel all the love a mother could give to her child, something he had missed terribly for more than fifteen years. And that mother love he had lacked of for such a long time immediately healed the pain he felt in his awful scar. _I don't deserve that_ , he thought, _not after what I did_.

"Gather round, everyone," Admiral Ackbar spoke up, forcing them to break eye contact. "Now that our allies have arrived, it is time to think about a new strategy for our upcoming operation. For those who may not know, new pilots and new gunners have joined us lately, manifesting their eagerness and determination to fight the evil that has undermined our beloved galaxy. Shall we start by sharing news from the First Order?"

The alien turned to both Teebasha and Ben, expecting one of them to share key information that could help them draw up a plan. The young woman glanced at her master, not knowing whether he wanted her to tell them or not. Instead of telling her to speak, he took a deep breath, and his deep voice filled the room.

"I assume you all know about a new superweapon similar to Starkiller base being built in the Unknown Regions. It is twice bigger than and twice as deadly as its predecessor, which you blew up. The construction is going faster than expected, and this progress should not be neglected. However, the weapon and the shield are far from being operational. This is why I suggest we lead our attack as soon as possible."

"Thank you for your intervention, Commander Solo," Admiral Ackbar replied with satisfaction, startling Ben. "Now that we know that time is ticking, we need to find ideas to prepare our operation. Everyone can speak up."

Raising his hand to ask for permission to speak, Luke took a step forward, frowning as he pondered over Ben's suggestion. Admiral Ackbar nodded in approval, and therefore, the old man took the floor.

"I am afraid we'll have to wait until the weapon is built to act. Until then, it will be impossible for us to reach Snoke, who I remind you is our primary target. It would be dangerous to precipitate things without thinking thoroughly about it beforehand."

"Wait?!" Finn repeated incredulously. "Did you hear what Kylo – I mean, Commander Solo – said? This weapon is twice as deadly as Starkiller base, I wouldn't risk it! They know our position. As soon as it's ready – BOOM! – they won't wait to shoot us."

"Master Skywalker is right," Wexley – a pilot of the Blue Squadron – interrupted him, "it would be wiser to wait until Supreme Leader Snoke is within your reach. However, I have heard about a whole fleet hiding deeper into the Unknown Regions. We could locate this fleet and attack it while the construction of the new base is in progress."

"This is a terrible idea," Ben protested. "As FN-2187 – um, Finn – pointed out, when Supreme Leader Snoke shows up, the first thing he will order will be the destruction of your base. Before you could even prepare yourself to fight, D'Qar will be blown to pieces. And even if you run away before it happens, he will find you no matter where you settle. As for our fleet, I'm afraid it would be too dangerous to attack it in such a short time. Your new pilots and gunners can't measure up to our soldiers and our cannons."

"You know your soldiers better than we do," Wexley sighed in response. "Maybe it's not a good idea to attack the fleet now. However, I still think we should lead this attack while Snoke is present, even if the weapon is ready and the shield is in place. If we do it before, Snoke will have plenty of time to send reinforcement to wipe us out."

"Then, I'm afraid we're stuck."

A heavy silence fell in the room, as everyone started to worry about not being able to bring the First Order to an end. Leia looked desperately at her soldiers, hoping one of them could find a solution to this problem. As for Teebasha, she was staring at her feet, holding her chin between two fingers, pondering over a solution just like everyone else. She refused to believe they were stuck; there _had_ to be a solution.

When her best idea popped into her mind, she abruptly looked up at Admiral Ackbar, who locked his gaze with hers.

"We need a sabotage."

Their eyes widening, the soldiers started to whisper between one another, most of them being sceptical about her proposal. Leia squinted her eyes and nodded slowly, confident that she knew what she had in mind. Seeing the confusion of some, Teebasha shrugged and kept going.

"Think about it: if we manage to disrupt or even delay the construction of the base with sneaky actions, Snoke will want to come and see everything by himself. He will stay with Ben, General Hux, and myself. But if you destroy Hux first, then Snoke is trapped. A squadron could find the weak spots of the weapon, while another fights the enemies as backup, until we establish contact to tell you we overthrew Snoke. While we're fleeing, the first squadron could blow the planet up."

"This is too simple," Rey retorted sadly, although the whole plan sounded perfect to her. "The First Order will crush us before Snoke even has the time to come out."

"Rey is right," Finn insisted, "it would be too simple and too dangerous. Plus, Snoke definitely wouldn't bother showing up for a sabotage."

Ben shook his head, staring at Finn and Rey.

"No, no, this is a brilliant idea. I can assure you that this could force Snoke to get out of his hiding place. If things were to go out of hand for no apparent reason, he would want to fix them all by himself. Obviously he will ask Hux to take care of the problem, but if Hux and his army can't even find the source of this problem, Snoke will lose patience and will come to control everything. I could pretend I can't handle it either."

Everyone in the room turned to Leia, waiting for her reaction. Considering the proposal for a moment, she ended up nodding in approval, crossing her arms.

"This is the only option we have."

"This is agreed," Admiral Ackbar spoke. "We will perform a sabotage on the new superweapon to force Snoke out of darkness. But to make sure that General Hux won't notice anything suspicious too quickly, this sabotage will have to be performed by someone he knows, whose presence wouldn't be abnormal. That means you two only can do it."

"I volunteer to sabotage the weapon," Teebasha nodded. "That way Ben can keep in touch with Supreme Leader Snoke without being suspected of anything."

"That settles it," Luke approved. "Does anyone want to add something, or suggest another solution?"

"What if the sabotage doesn't lead to anything?" Admiral Statura replied. "Maybe we should find a plan B if this doesn't work. We can't afford wasting time."

Luke shrugged and stepped back, giving everyone the permission to discuss Statura's statement. A hubbub filled the room as they started to share their opinion between them. A few seconds later, a hand was raised among the crowd. It was a young soldier, who also proved to be quite useful when it came to broken machines.

"If the sabotage doesn't work, we have to find out where Snoke is hiding. I suggest we trace the holographic calls from Snoke."

"There is no way we could do that," Poe responded. "In order to trace the signal of the calls up to Snoke, we have to be aboard the _Finalizer_. We can't."

"How about we infiltrate the _Finalizer_ and pretend that Kylo Ren is our hostage?" another voice spoke up.

"Do you really think he would believe that?"

"By the way, is there anyone who might know where Supreme Leader Snoke is hiding?" a pilot joined the conversation. "Doesn't _he_ know that?"

As all the eyes laid on Ben, Teebasha rolled her eyes in exasperation. She knew it was not a simple question meant to help draw up the plan, but a discreet way to belittle her master. Just by the look on his face, it was easy to guess he was one of those who wished the alliance was broken.

"I have no idea where he might be hiding," Ben answered sharply. "I didn't have many opportunities to see him face to face. To be honest, I have, right after the battle on Starkiller base. I was sent where he hid to pursue my training and get medical help. As soon as I left, he changed his spot. He doesn't trust anyone."

"Then let's stick to the plan," Leia interrupted. "What Teebasha suggested was the only realisable option."

The deal was made: the double agents had to sabotage the new base, several times if necessary, until Snoke would decide to come and see by himself.

Poe crossed his arms against his chest and spoke, earning an admiring gaze from BB-8.

"Let's talk about the fleet of the First Order, and maybe even the bases implanted on other planets. In order to be able to prevent the departure of enemy troops towards the battle front, we must know their precise location, so we can destroy them, even little by little. Commander Solo, do you know the location of each ship or base?"

"No, I don't," Ben answered truthfully. "However I can give you the coordinates of four I know of, then these of the weapon itself."

"Our ears are open, Commander."

"The main hangar where we keep our warships is located on Iktotch, in the Narvath Sector. This is where I usually keep my own command shuttle. The amount of TIE Fighters we keep aboard the _Finalizer_ is ridiculous compared to this on Iktotch. If you manage to drop explosives there, you can be sure that the fleet will be seriously weakened."

Poe listened closely to Ben's indications, while a droid was entering the information into one of the computers. Then, Ben gave them the coordinates of another ground base, then these of two ships of the First Order Navy. At last but not least, he gave them the location of the new unnamed base, which was the key point of the whole operation.

"Captain?" the voice of Jessika Pava, another pilot of the Blue Squadron, filled the room timidly. "I'm upset about something. We've agreed not to attack the superweapon until Snoke shows up, but to destroy the main bases and ships in the meantime. I'm afraid they will reinforce their security if we attack too soon, and if it takes some time for the Supreme Leader to come out of darkness, they will have plenty of time to get new warships and weaponry. Shouldn't we attack the main hangars _while_ the others are fighting Snoke? Then, it would be a real trap."

"You're right, Pava," Poe admitted. "If we destroy them before, there are chances that they keep Stormtroopers and pilots elsewhere, and that they'll send them to beat us."

"Let's just blow up the main bases, and leave the minor ones alone. Those with fewer men can be destroyed later, maybe once we accomplish our goal. Same goes with those geographically far from the Unknown Regions. Stormtrooper freighters can't get into hyperspace."

Poe nodded, as well as Leia. Pava looked down at her feet, smiling discreetly, satisfied that she could be useful to the operation.

After that, all the pilots and soldiers withdrew as the meeting came to an end. Rey, Finn and Poe left the room after sharing a few hugs and grins with Teebasha, wishing her luck for the sneaky actions on the base. Even though they tried not to show it, the three of them feared the worse for her, and hoped nobody would catch her.

For someone supposed to be on their enemy's side, Teebasha was someone they deeply cared about, even though they had not known one another for too long.

Teebasha and Luke left the room, leaving Leia and Ben alone for their reunion. They were silently and nervously staring at each other, standing upright although they were both shaking. This lingering look spoke for both of them; both knew words were not necessary at that moment. In his eyes, Leia could see the unbearable guilt weighing on his shoulders, as well as a deep despair. However, this was not what she focused on.

There stood her son – the fruit of an unconditional yet complicated love between her and Han – all grownup, hurt and scarred both physically and emotionally. The striking resemblance between him and his father shook her to the core, as it had not been so obvious when he was younger. Being unable to reject that awful sensation, Leia felt the pain of the moment when she felt Han's life being taken away, all over again.

An ugly sob disturbed the sound of silence, hardly muffled. Ben was shuddering uncontrollably, his face distorted by pain and sorrow. His eyes, although they were staring at his mother, seemed empty, and his vision was all blurred due to his tears. As for his mouth, it was twisted in a slight pout, the corner of his lips being pulled down. All the muscles in his face seemed to tense up at the same time, leaving him few control of his own expression.

"Mum…" he whimpered weakly. "Please, forgive me for… what I have done…"

Leia let her tears stream down her wrinkled cheeks, stepping forward to get closer to her son, whom she believed she had lost a long time ago, despite her undying hope to bring him back home. Without any hesitation or fear, she pulled her son against her, wrapping him in her comforting arms he used to turn to whenever something upset him as a child. She buried her fingers in his thick black mane, massaging his scalp as he rested his head on her shoulder, soaking her dark blue dress with his tears. She kissed his cheek and temple a few times, before breaking the heavy silence.

"Ben, I already forgave you," she whispered with a grin. "A long time ago. In spite of your father's death, I've kept waiting for your return."

"I'm sorry I killed him," he hiccupped, "I didn't want to. S-Snoke forced me. It was the only way I could earn his trust and overthrow him afterwards. D-Dad knew."

"I know it now, Ben. I know it. I should've understood it when I saw Han for the last time. He knew what was going to happen, which is why he didn't reply when I asked him to bring you home. I understand it, now."

"But I killed him! I killed my own father! I cannot forgive myself!"

"Ben," she spoke softly, cupping his tear-drenched face with her hands, "you have to forgive yourself. This was not your fault. You had to, otherwise it's you we would have lost. Believe me, Han preferred to die instead of you. We still believed there was light in you, and we weren't wrong. You're here today, with us. And if Han's death was the price to pay to get you back, then I could only accept it. I accepted it."

Noticing his knees were about to give in, Leia took his hand and brought him to one of the benches at the back of the room. She sat down on it, followed by Ben. As soon as another sob took hold of him, he lay his head on his mother's lap, resting a hand on her knee, allowing himself to cry harder than ever. Leia stroked his hair, a light smile on her face. Despite the circumstances, she could not help but think about how great it felt to have him back, yet she knew she would never feel complete ever again, since Han was missing in her life.

Ben being unable to calm himself, and his crying breaking his mother's heart, she whispered something she had not whispered for ages.

"Don't be afraid, Ben. Mummy is here…"

Meanwhile, outside of the room, Teebasha and Luke were standing in the corridor, waiting for either Ben or Leia to come out, so she could leave with her master. They did not speak much, except for discussing the strategy they had agreed on during the meeting. Then, a long silence followed, as they ran out of things to share. Lost in her thoughts, Teebasha did not even notice Luke was staring at her with squinted eyes.

"Something's upsetting you," he stated. "What is it?"

Teebasha sighed and turned to the Jedi Master with shifty eyes.

"I have this feeling that this whole plan won't turn out as expected. I had it before the meeting, and I hoped it would just fade afterwards, but it looks like it's here to stay."

"I've felt it too. There is a disturbance in the Force. Do you have an idea what the source of this disturbance could be?"

She gulped nervously and glanced at her feet, pursing her lips.

"Ben."

"What makes you think so?"

"We had an argument yesterday. He asked me what I thought would happen once the First Order is no more. When I told him I hoped a better Republic would be built, he denigrated the idea, and his ideal he described resembled an empire. What he wanted was exactly what the First Order is doing. Now, I have doubts regarding his intentions. He _does_ hate Snoke, I can feel it, yet he seems to be led astray by something I can't explain. He claimed he could be a great leader for the new world he wanted to build, and he even asked me to reign with him. I'm scared, Master."

Being too concerned by the situation she was depicting, Teebasha did not even notice that her voice had cracked a few times. Feeling her distress, Luke rested his hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him, a bit fearfully.

"I think I know what is going on," he whispered, "but I am not completely sure. There's no need for me to tell you, it might just stress you out even more, maybe for nothing. Keep an eye on him until it's time to fight. We will have to be very careful once it is time to fight."

He smiled briefly at her, then, hearing noises inside the meeting room, started walking away. Teebasha called him, and knowing the door could be opened at any moment, asked her something she knew would not necessarily provide her reassurance.

"Master, do you think Ben will be a threat to us, and to the Resistance?"

As she spun on his heels to face her, the door opened, revealing Ben stepping out with a stoop, closely followed by his mother. His eyes were swollen and red from crying, and his face was paler than usual. His whole appearance betrayed his exhaustion.

While Leia gave her son one last hug before leaving, Luke glanced at them and approached Teebasha. Standing upright, he did not need to speak loudly for her to hear him.

"I don't know."


	23. Chapter 22

Stormtroopers and officers rushed across hangar eight as they caught glimpse of the Upsilon approaching. They stood in two lines, straight as ramrods, awaiting the arrival of their Commander and less importantly, his apprentice. The massive shuttle entered the hangar and slowly retracted its wings while landing. It towered there, motionless and silent for a long moment, until the ramp came down and slammed loudly on the ground.

Making her way through the steam, Teebasha took large steps, carrying her heavy backpack across her shoulder. She stared at her feet, feeling uneasy as she passed by the two rows of soldiers who ceremoniously saluted her although she was not the one they were expecting. R2 was rolling behind her, the soft purr of his wheels being one of the only noises to be heard there. On her left, she heard a soldier gulp and take a deep breath under his helmet; she threw a glance above her shoulder and noticed Ben leaving the ship. They shared a look and a nod, then she dashed out of hangar eight.

Clutching her backpack against her chest, she hurried across the dimly lit corridors to reach hangar six. From time to time she peeked behind her to ensure her friendly droid was still following her. She spotted the entrance to one of the secret corridors leading directly to the rows of shuttles, especially the TIE Fighters. She stepped forward and walked until she reached her Jedi Interceptor.

She sneaked inside the cockpit and watched R2 settle inside his socket. She placed her backpack between her legs, staring at it for a moment.

Ben and Teebasha had just left the meeting at the Resistance base, where they had discussed a strategy to destroy the First Order. Teebasha's idea to sabotage the construction of the new base had been voted the best option so far, and she had volunteered to sabotage it herself. Before she and her master left the base on D'Qar, Finn had given her a bag full of explosives that he believed may help her during her mission.

And there she was, holding that same bag that could explode at any abrupt move between her knees.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then adjusted her headset and turned the twin ion engines on. She sent the coordinates to her navi-computer and let her droid chart a course. She wiped her clammy hands against her trousers and grabbed the yoke.

"R2?" she called in a shaky voice. "Are you ready to go?"

The droid chirped and she allowed herself to grin.

"Then let's go. We'll talk some more about the mission later. It's too risky to talk here."

She pushed a few buttons on her control panel, and the starship left the ground and the row it was parked in. It dashed out of hangar six and entered hyperspace. While R2 was flying the ship, Teebasha slid her finger under the chain around her neck, pulling Lyyra's locket out of her shirt. She opened it and sighed with a joyless smile.

The mission she was about to accomplish was far more dangerous than it seemed, and she was not the last to know. Guessing how heavily guarded the station was, everything could go wrong at any moment. Perhaps she would not even return to the _Finalizer_ alive.

Curiously, she wondered whether Ben was worried about her at that moment. She knew he had to keep his straight face there on the Star Destroyer, leading his troops and fulfilling his role as Commander of the First Order. However, during the whole trip from D'Qar, he had remained awfully silent and could not stop squirming in his seat. The reunion with his mother probably had a huge effect on him and his behaviour, but something made her believe it was not the only reason. He had peeked at her a few times from the corner of his eye, his eyes shimmering in sadness. Perhaps she was wrong to think so, but if she was to return aboard the _Finalizer_ , she promised herself she would ask him.

If she was to return… Once again, everything could go wrong at any moment, and it could cost her life. What if a Stormtrooper caught her and shot her? What if General Hux, whom she knew was directing the construction, found her and denounced her to Snoke? She would undoubtedly be killed, but Ben could know a worse treatment for being the one who failed her. Both of their lives were now between her hands.

R2's beeps brought her back to reality. She pulled the collar of her shirt and dropped the locket inside it. They were about to leave hyperspace.

"Prepare yourself to enter the atmosphere of the planet, R2. I heard the shields weren't operational yet. Can you confirm?"

The droid chirped, confirming the piece of information she had been given. Teebasha took a deep breath and grabbed the yoke, pushing some buttons. The Interceptor left hyperspace and headed straight towards a mostly green planet, similar to D'Qar. From afar, she could witness the advanced state of the weapon. She heard her heart beating inside her ears as she gulped; she knew from Ben that they were building it fast, but never had she thought they had gone that fast.

The shuttle entered the atmosphere of the planet, heading towards a spot that seemed clear.

"Can you scan the area quickly, R2? Make sure we can land there."

With a beep, the droid scanned the area, his head rotating. The results appeared on the screen of her control panel. She examined them and grinned.

"Alright, let's land and blow it up."

In a long purr, she flew low and the bottom of the shuttle grazed the patch of grass and plants as it landed. The ion engines were immediately silenced, and the cockpit opened. Teebasha jumped out of it and grabbed the backpack, carefully carrying it on her back. She left her starship open and turned to her droid.

"R2, follow me. I will need you to scan the surroundings and alert me if guards come nearby."

The droid agreed and followed her southward, where they had noticed one of the main control rooms of the superweapon. Teebasha took her lightsaber hanging at her belt and clutched it firmly, ready to use it at any moment.

It did not take much time for them to reach the infrastructure. Luckily they were facing its back, which was less guarded than the opposite side, for no logical reason. While she was hiding behind tall weeds, Teebasha noticed this breach of security and kept it in mind; it would probably be extremely useful sooner or later.

R2 beeped softly, catching her attention. She leant towards her friend and glanced at the holographic map he was showing her.

"You already scanned the surroundings," she pointed out, "you're amazing, R2. I'm glad Kylo let me keep you. And yes, I'm calling him Kylo here, because we're still on the grounds of the First Order."

Her eyebrows knitted together as she focused on the map. Her eyes followed the spots representing guards moving around the map, indicating their actual moves. She pointed at a spot near the control room.

"This area seems clear enough. If I calculated it well, in three minutes time, it'll be crowded with guards. We must go right now."

She stood up and looked all around her, before running forward, keeping in mind all the guards' patrols. Seeing one of them coming her way, she quickly hid behind a pile of boxes containing tools and materials for the weapon. Thanks to R2's map, she could keep an eye on their round. Once the area was clear again, she approached the towering control room.

"If we want this sabotage to be really effective, let's begin with an important spot," she muttered to herself. "It's time to play with the bombs!"

She put down her backpack and opened it. She took out one of the small spherical explosives, sticking it to the wall. She took a few others and displayed them all around as fast as she could. As she was about to go further, she heard R2's distressed beeps behind her, alerting her that guards were coming their way. She ran back to and jumped behind the pile of boxes again.

From between the cases and boxes, she watched the Stormtroopers wandering near the control room, all-armed. The palms of her hands started to get clammy again as she caught a glimpse of a guard walking in her direction. She held her breath and felt a bead of sweat rolling down her temple as her heart raced inside her chest.

"BM-1907!" a voice called from afar, startling the soldier. "General Hux has summoned all the Stormtroopers on the Southern side of the area. Some native species remain and are visibly opposed to our presence on their ground."

The Stormtrooper nodded and spun on his heels, running southward. Teebasha sighed and rested her back against the boxes, feeling the relief disseminating through her body. R2 beeped and she let out a chuckle, panting softly.

"Indeed… It was a close call."

Catching her breath and waiting for her heart to slow down a little, she instinctively turned her head to the left; she distractively glanced at a box marked with the initials _V.H._ She furrowed her brow; this mark was more than familiar to her.

" _Vonar Horle_ ," she muttered.

She crawled up to the box and with the blade of her lightsaber, she pierced a hole in it. She peeked inside and gasped.

"These are parts of the thermic oscillator," she told R2. "So that's what Horle's business actually was? Now I understand he didn't only work for the Supreme Leader to hunt people."

She reached out for another crate marked with the same initials. She opened it again thanks to her lightsaber and shook her head.

"I can't believe it. All the most important parts of the weapon are here, and nobody's guarding them. Too bad I can't use that against Hux to prove that his system is not as efficient as he thinks it is. He would immediately know that I was on the planet without permission. It looks like the events of last year really weakened the army and its capacities."

With a smirk, she rummaged through her bag and took out two bombs she stuck to the open boxes. She turned to R2 and whispered:

"Is the coast clear?"

The droid acquiesced and Teebasha stood up, taking out a tiny remote from the bag before closing it. She hurried away with R2 by her side, and once she reached her Interceptor, she threw the bag inside and sneaked in.

"Let's go back to the _Finalizer_. Our job will be done in three… two… one…"

She pushed the only button on the remote, and stared southward. Each bomb she had placed exploded in a deafening sound, forming high clouds of black smoke and flames. As they heard alarms blaring in the infrastructure, R2 hurried to settle in his socket, and Teebasha closed the cockpit.

They took advantage of the flames and the smoke to escape without being noticed. In less than a minute, they reached the atmosphere and Teebasha pushed two buttons.

"Let's enter hyperspace right now."

R2 obeyed, and the starship fled at its highest speed, only to reappear near the _Finalizer_. Teebasha flew to the entrance of hangar six and over a radio conversation, she obtained the permission to land inside. Once she did, the first thing she did was to run instinctively towards Ben's private area, letting R2 repair a broken piece of her control panel and hide the explosives.

Teebasha ran as fast as she could towards Ben's room where they had had the argument the day before. Despite their disagreement regarding politics and the doubts she and Luke had about Ben, she felt closer to him than ever. Now that they had both participated to the debate concerning the upcoming operation, she knew their political opinions had to be discussed later. Their priority was to defeat Snoke and all his henchmen and his organisation.

Completely out of breath, she reached Ben's door and slammed her fist against it several times, almost hurting her fingers.

"Master, it's Teebasha. If you're in there, please let me in."

Almost immediately, the door flew wide open, revealing her mentor. He appeared more than surprised to see her there so soon. He stepped aside and let her in, safely closing and locking the door behind her.

Teebasha nearly collapsed as she entered the room. The rush of adrenaline she had felt earlier was progressively fading away, making her aware of her exhaustion and her breathlessness. She pointed at his steel chair and cleared her throat.

"May I?"

"Sure, sit down."

She thanked him and slumped on the chair, heaving a sigh of relief. Ben stood in front of her, unable to take his eyes off her as she had not said anything that could possible ease him from his worries.

"Master," she eventually panted. "The first sabotage was a success."

"Really?" he gasped joyfully. "You managed to make it in so little time?"

"Who do you think I am?" she joked.

"Congratulations. Which area did you attack?"

"The main control room. I know it might sound dangerous, but you'll be happy to know that I'm coming back with some information that we can take advantage of."

Ben took a step forward and squatted before her, putting one knee down. He reached out for her hand, much to her surprise, and stared at her with his deep dark eyes.

"Tell me more."

Teebasha chuckled and sat up, squeezing her master's hand.

"There's an important security breach in Hux's system. The control room is heavily guarded at the front, but the back is only occasionally guarded. There are two or three guards that make their round there, but they don't stay long. It was quite easy to sneak there and display the explosives."

"If only I had an official permission to go there… I could tell Snoke all about that breach, and we would not even need to destroy Hux. Snoke would do it himself!"

"There's more."

"What is it?"

She grinned and leant forward, her face stopping only a few inches away from his. Much to her surprise, he neither flinched nor looked uneasy.

"The main parts of the future thermic oscillator had already been shipped to the planet. Vonar Horle's initials and logo were stamped on the boxes. I guess he did not just track people for Snoke. Anyway, guess where they stored them?"

"I don't know."

"Behind the control room. There were no guards. Nobody. Such important parts that are already dangerous on their own were left there near the wild life. To teach them a lesson, I placed two bombs there and made everything explode."

Ben's eyes widened. He cupped her face in his hands and shook his head with a broad grin.

"You are a genius! We should report that to the Resistance as soon as we can. Even though you'll be the only one to sabotage everything, it's still good to know. With such a breach in Hux's system, there are most likely other breaches elsewhere. In the bases Dameron's squadron will attack, for instance."

"Really, too bad we can't use that against Hux right away."

Her master laughed joyfully and also a bit evilly as he thought about Hux's fall. He shook his head once again and gazed at Teebasha with a more tender expression.

"That is why I want to reign with you. You are the cleverest person I know. You are the one who came up with that strategy, and it turned out better than I expected! To be honest, I was worrying that you wouldn't make it. I had always thought that Hux had stronger security there. The idea that they might get to you and make you pay for the sabotage was unbearable to me."

"Ben…"

With a sigh, she grabbed both of his wrists and gently pushed them away from her face. His smile faded away and for a second, she thought she understood what Luke did not want to tell her.

"Ben," she repeated. "Please, reconsider this idea of reigning over the galaxy. I know we already argued about your vision of politics, but… I believe you're smarter than that. And kinder. When I met you, you still acted as the cold-blooded monster you're supposed to be among the First Order. But gradually, you have become friendlier and nicer. Master Skywalker and myself are worried about you, you know? Why do you want to overthrow Snoke if what you're planning to do is basically take his place? The New Republic we could build could actually do something and wouldn't let ideas become ideals."

Ben freed his hands and stood up, turning her back to her. He remained silent for a moment and took a deep breath.

"You don't understand, do you?" he intoned.

"Understand what? Ben, please, talk to me."

He turned to her with a joyless smirk, his eyes glimmering under the bright light. He gulped and stared at her, a few wrinkles appearing on his chin as he pursed his lips.

"You don't understand where I got the whole idea of reigning over the galaxy with you? Imagine that once the First Order is dismantled, we both find ourselves on the Resistance ground to build our new lives. Even if that's not part of your plans, please just imagine it. Where do you picture yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you picture yourself in the main base, or living on your own on Ryloth, with your Twi'lek friend?"

Teebasha crossed her arms, her eyebrows knitted together.

"I guess I'd choose Ryloth. But I don't know, it all depends on how everything turns out. W-Why do you worry about that?"

"If the place you'd rather picture yourself at is Ryloth, then it's reinforcing my plan. Reigning by your side is the only solution I found to be with you. _You_ can have a normal life again, but not me."

"What's your point? Why would you want to stay with me, I don't understand!"

Ben sighed and came closer to her; he appeared furious whereas his expression betrayed the reverse. Her heart raced inside her chest as he towered over her.

"My point is that I don't want you to leave me."

"But imagine that a New Republic is founded, you wouldn't need me as your apprentice anymore."

"You've never really been my apprentice, have you? I've always considered you my equal. From the beginning you were stronger than I could ever be. Snoke sensed it too. Anyway, I don't want a life in which you wouldn't be. That is why I want to rule the galaxy with you. We could both be amazing leaders. And I wouldn't let anything harm you, even though you already can protect yourself quite well."

She gulped and scoffed nervously. She stared at her feet and took a deep breath, silently repeating to herself the words he had just uttered, trying to put her finger on what their true meaning was.

"Why me, Ben? There are stronger and more powerful people in the galaxy! How could a former bounty hunter be of any use to you?"

"You still don't understand!" he grunted, starting to lose patience.

"You're not expressing your thoughts clear enough, Ben."

Ben took a deep breath and cupped her face with his hands, suddenly pressing his lips against hers in an extremely brief and awkward peck. Teebasha was dumbfounded, and her whole face turned a brighter shade of pink as he pulled away and locked his gaze with hers.

"My grandfather joined the Dark side to save his wife from a terrible fate," he whispered, "so I'm ready to join the Dark side again only to keep you near me. Because I love you."


	24. Chapter 23

Teebasha rose from her seat and took a step back, contemplating Ben's blushing face with her wide eyes. She clutched the back of the steel chair, shaking her head in disbelief. Ben kept standing at his spot, not even reducing the sudden distance between them. He crossed his arms and waited for another reaction from her, a word, or even a sound. But for what seemed to be an eternity, she remained speechless, her hand clasping the chair so firmly that her joints appeared white.

Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind as she attempted to take in the information. Those three little words that could mean the world to many individuals sounded almost unreal to her. Especially coming from Kylo Ren. She blinked and considered pinching herself, just to check if the whole situation was just a dream. But the coldness of the steel under her fingers made her realise it could only be real.

"Love me?" she eventually blurted out. "That's _insane_!"

"But that's the truth," he replied flatly, now avoiding her eyes. "Believe me."

She sighed and rubbed her face with the palm of her clammy hand. Looking up at him once again, she went to sit back on the chair at a slow pace, as though he was a wild animal she tried not to scare.

"But Ben, why do you have to deal in extremes? Who told you we'd cut ties once the war is over? You know I will cease to be your apprentice, but we could still be friends. Why is the idea of ruling the galaxy with me the first idea that comes to your mind? You could've asked... I don't know, to move to Ryloth with me, or you could've asked me to move someplace else with you."

"I told you, _you_ can return to a normal life, not I. Wherever I'll go, I'll be spat at, despised, and hated because of all the things I have done to all those people. They probably won't know who you are, and if they know, they'll respect you, they'll even consider you a heroine. This can't happen to me. I will have to hide for the rest of my life."

Teebasha's expression softened as she sympathised with him. With the Force, she could almost feel the distress he was feeling himself, and as she had expected, it was not pleasant. Unfortunately, she had to admit that he was telling the truth; people in the galaxy that did not support the First Order would never forgive him. Living a new life would never be easy for him. People could know her name, but they would never know her face, she still was free to go wherever she wanted.

Ben could never have that same freedom.

"If you don't want me to leave you, come with me to Ryloth, and give up this idea of ruling the galaxy. If you want to gain people's trust, don't choose the path you're considering. That would only make things worse than they already are for you. Please, Ben."

"I _can't_ go to Ryloth with you!" he nearly roared in despair. "I can't have that normal life that you led and will lead again! There are two paths for me now: living as a hermit like my uncle for the rest of my life, or reign over the galaxy with you by my side."

"You can't force me."

"And you can't force me to become a hermit. I want you in my life, Teebasha. You opened my eyes. You made me a better person, you brought back the Ben that lived in the shadows of my heart. But if being that better person means losing you, then I don't want to change. If being Kylo Ren means staying with you, I will gladly choose that name."

Teebasha grunted and stared at the ceiling, tapping her foot nervously. Ben knelt down before her, yet avoided physical contact.

"Teebasha," he breathed tenderly, "let's stop talking about what it could bring me. Did you think about what it could bring _you_?"

"It won't bring anything good to me. It's your fantasy, and I don't want to be part of it."

"Teebasha, I would treat you like a queen. And I would still consider you my equal, but not only because of your skills. And you would have a _real_ home. Do you want to live in that canyon of yours all your life?"

"I'd rather live in my cave than take away people's rights."

She stood up and started to pace up and down, her arms crossed against her chest, a deep wrinkle caused by her frown marking her forehead.

It seemed like trying to reason him would give no positive results. She did not know why he had immediately chosen the extreme solution instead of considering other options that might be more positive for both of them. Ben was stuck in his selfish ideal; had he really loved her like he had said, he would have cared about her opinion and what she thought was good for herself as well. The whole plan would only benefit him, and he did not seem to realise it. Or maybe he did and refused to change it.

Observing that she started to hesitate, Ben approached her and caressed her cheek. She was too confused to even push him away or flinch. Therefore, she only glanced at him with sparkling eyes, feeling helpless and trapped in a situation she had wished to avoid.

"I could be the family you lost, Teebasha," he insisted in a whisper. "I would care about you and take care of you when you need it. I would listen to every word you say. Think about how happy we could be together. I know you care about me, you've shown it to me several times."

"Ben, please," she kept begging, almost melting under his touch, "don't give in to this idea. You don't belong to the Dark side, you don't want to be ruthless with the people you will free from the First Order. You're worth better. You deserve better. If you really want to be with me, follow me to Ryloth. Or we could find somewhere else to live. We could go to Balmorra, or even Ord Mantell. _Anywhere_. You don't need that power to make me stay with you. Ask me. That's all you need to do."

"Life isn't that simple. Join me, or don't. We could be those great sovereigns of the galaxy, including the Unknown Regions. We could mould this world as we wish to see it. Teebasha, look at me. Look at me and tell me it doesn't tempt you. I won't believe you. I know that deep inside, you want to make our world a better place, and this is your opportunity. The greatest you will ever be given."

Teebasha gazed into his eyes and unexpectedly pushed him away. Ben staggered backwards without breaking eye contact. An expression of despair invaded his face, turning it paler; he appeared so worked up by her sudden gesture that she nearly accepted, only to bring that lovely smile of his back to his face. Yet, she did not make a sound and simply turned her back to him.

"Please give me some time to think about it," she muttered. "Once I make a decision, I will let you know. For now... I can't make such an important choice. This would completely change our lives, it shouldn't be taken lightly, especially if it's about becoming sovereigns. We don't even know if we will win this war, we can't know in advance. So, please, let me think about it."

"I understand. Take all the time you need. I just need you to keep in mind that I love you. I'm doing all this only for you."

"I need some rest," she interrupted him. "I'm going to my room. Goodbye, Kylo."

Without further ado, she unlocked the exit and walked out of Ben's private area, heading towards her own room. As she heard the door closing behind her, she let out a sigh and kept her arms crossed, walking at a slow pace. Once she found herself alone in her room, she removed her boots and slumped on her bed, crossing her hands under her head.

Ben _loved_ her. Although she had suspected it somehow, she found it hard to accept it. Now that she had some time to think, she realised it was the first time that someone had said those three words to her, aside from Lyyra. Even Araluu and Tyris had never pronounced them to either of their children. They were not the kind of people who easily expressed their feelings, although through their behaviour and gestures, they showed to both of their daughters how loved they were. Araluu always took good care of them whenever they were sick. Teebasha remembered she would stay for hours at their side when they were bed-ridden. She would not eat anything for days, and would sometimes sleep on the chair next to them if she was not sure that they would be alright. As for Tyris, he often took them out, carrying them both on his strong shoulders before his accident that would leave him almost paralysed. Every night as he tucked them in their beds, he told them tales of foreign lands and even Jedi legends. It was him who had given Teebasha her taste for adventure and travels. Both took the time to listen to Teebasha's endless speeches about how she would become a Jedi one day, or even someone with impressive fighting skills. Whereas they had always been peaceful people, they had always encouraged her in everything she wanted to do, unless it meant hurting others.

Araluu and Tyris had never told their daughters they loved them. More surprisingly, they had told it to each other only once in their lives: on their wedding day. As a child, Teebasha had always admired the way they could make each other understand how devoted to each other they were without using words. Through the tiniest gestures, they would understand that their passion had never faded and never would.

The only voice that Teebasha had heard say she was loved was Lyyra's. All the times she had combed her younger sister's long hair came back to her mind. She always gently ran the brush in her hair, careful not to yank them and make her sister cry. She would do so in such a loving way that Lyyra always whispered " _I love you_ " in the process, considering that her sister's soft moves were her way to tell her how much she meant to her. And somehow, it was.

Since the birth of her little sister, Teebasha had always considered Lyyra her treasure. From the moment she saw her, huddled against her mother's chest as a newborn, she had vowed to protect her from everything that harmed her. Countless times she had imagined herself beating the boyfriend that would dare break her beloved sibling's heart and betray her. She was the apple of her eyes, her favourite company and the only person she knew she could rely on all her life. Never had she thought that Lyyra was feeling the same way towards her.

And an unfortunate event had forced her to break this powerful bond. When she had finally considered that it was safe to return to her, Vonar Horle and Supreme Leader Snoke had already got in her way. Now, Lyyra was merely a memory, a sparkle that could only survive in Teebasha's heart. Her smiles, her laugh, her voice; they would never light up the streets of Ord Mantell again.

" _I'm glad Lyyra can't see me now_ ," she told herself. " _She would never approve the fact that I joined the First Order._ "

A series of beeps brought an end to her moment of nostalgia and melancholy. Teebasha rummaged through her pocket and took out her comlink, whose blue light was on. She pushed the main button and sat up on her bed, squinting her eyes as the hologram of a man in a cloak appeared.

"Teebasha?" the voice of Luke Skywalker called. "Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you, Master," she replied as the hologram became steady.

"Good. Poe Dameron gave me your comlink code. He was supposed to call you, but General Organa sent him on a mission."

"A mission? Does it have anything to do with our operation?"

The hologram turned blurry; she turned a button on the side of the device and frowned. Once it appeared neat again, she nodded at Luke to let him know she could hear him.

"It has something to do with our operation, indeed," the Jedi answered. "Ben gave us the coordinates of four main bases of the First Order. We thought we couldn't afford wasting time and decided to lead an attack as soon as you left D'Qar."

"Which base did you attack?"

"The First Order had hidden a base on a planet called Haashimut. It's a planet of the Outer Rim that used to be the site of an ancient Jedi stronghold, thousands of years ago. All the ships have been destroyed there, they won't be a bother during the operation."

"Congratulations, Master. I hope nothing happened to any of the pilots. That's the last thing we need at the moment."

"Poe's ship has been damaged by the terrestrial cannon of a Stormtrooper. But he's fine, he's on his way back to D'Qar with his entire squadron."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Hearing a sharp noise outside, she paused and, raising a hand to Luke, craned her neck to focus on the sounds that emanated from the corridors. As she overheard soldiers speaking, she understood it had only been a droid that had short-circuited.

"I have news for you too," she whispered as she looked back at the hologram. "I sabotaged the superweapon. I blew up the main control room, as well as crates that contained materials for the construction."

"This is great news, I will report it to General Organa as soon as this conversation ends. Is there anything you know about the planet that could be of any help?"

"I noticed a security breach. The main control room was only guarded at the front. A few Stormtroopers came briefly to check the back, but it's not what I call guarded. It was too easy to sneak there and display the explosives Finn gave me."

"The hangar on Haashimut wasn't well-guarded either. There were only four or five Stormtroopers there. The place was full of unarmed officers."

"Then we can take advantage of that lack of security. Also, I believe I slowed down the construction of the superweapon. The boxes containing the materials for the superweapon were also displayed at the back of the control room, unguarded. It was Vonar Horle, the smuggler, who had shipped the parts to the First Order. I opened two boxes and saw the main parts of what would be the thermic oscillator. I blew them up as well. I caused more damage than I thought I would; at least it'll give us more time to get ready for the attack."

"Good initiative, Varn. Do you think you'll need to sabotage it a second time?"

"I have no idea, to be honest. Maybe I should wait for a general reaction from the First Order. Then I'll tell you about what I'll witness. Perhaps it could help us improve our strategy."

An unexpected knock at her door startled her. After she hurriedly greeted the Jedi Master, she turned off her comlink and buried it in her pocket. She grabbed the hilt of her lightsaber and went to stand behind her door.

"Who is it?"

"GH-1896," a robotic voice answered loud enough for her to hear.

She hid the hilt behind her thigh and using a mind trick, she opened the door, revealing the Stormtrooper in his shiny white armour.

"What is it?" she asked him with squinted eyes.

"Kylo Ren has asked me to escort you to the meeting room. He and General Hux are waiting for you there to begin a meeting with Supreme Leader Snoke."

"Right behind you."

The Stormtrooper spun on his heels and started to walk away from her door, which she closed behind her. She attached her lightsaber to her belt, while following the soldier. Once they reached the meeting room, Teebasha turned to him and smiled.

"Thank you, GH-1896. You may leave now."

The man nodded his head and left her there. Inhaling deeply, she opened the blast door of the meeting room and stepped inside. Facing the emptiness that would soon be replaced by Snoke's figure, she recognised Ben, wearing his helmet. Next to him stood General Hux, his red hair slightly dishevelled, his face much paler than usual. From the look upon his face, she understood he was absolutely frightened and wished he could be anywhere but there. He had not even turned to her or blurted out insults as usual.

She shared a look with her mentor as the giant hologram of the Supreme Leader appeared in front of them. Without any greeting, Snoke slammed his fist on the arm of his throne, glaring furiously at the three of them.

"An attack led on our station!" he roared ballisticly. "How could such a thing happen on our territory?!"

"It is entirely my fault, Supreme Leader," Hux spoke up without looking up. "I summoned all my Stormtroopers in the Southern area to repress an attack led by the native species. There were no guards left at the control room."

"General, the control room should _never_ be left unguarded!" the hologram scolded. "You didn't need all your soldiers to handle the natives. Where were the parts of the thermic oscillator stored?"

"B-Behind the control room, Supreme Leader. I never thought anyone would come there, Supreme Leader."

" _THEY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AS WELL?_ " Snoke's voice blared in the room as he stood up. He pointed at the red-haired General, his finger shaking with the intensity of his rage. "You stupid rat! You're as inefficient as I started to suspect you were! Now the construction of the superweapon will take twice as long as I had foreseen. Consider yourself lucky that you're not actually in front of me. I would smash you into pieces, I would terminate your life in a second!"

"I beg your pardon, Supreme Leader," Hux sobbed as he fell on his knees.

When General Hux's ugly sobs filled the room – and at that moment only – Teebasha felt pity for him. Although she hated the man, she knew he did not deserve those threats. Indeed, he was responsible for that failure, but Snoke knew that the number of Stormtroopers he had with him had been drastically reduced since the battle on Starkiller. Somehow he could not do otherwise.

Her gaze met Ben's, and although neither of them uttered a word, it was enough for her to understand that even Ben pitied Hux.

"Before I lose patience, General, go back to Ord Mantell to find parts for the thermic oscillator. Since Varn murdered Horle, we can't rely on him anymore. Find another smuggler. _Immediately_ ," Snoke ordered sharply.

"I will do as you say, Supreme Leader."

"One more mistake coming from you, General, and I'll kill you. Now go."

General Hux bowed down to the hologram and dashed out of the meeting room. Teebasha glanced at the towering figure clenching its fists and controlling its fits of rage. Snoke sat back on his throne and pointed at the two of them.

"A sabotage... How come you didn't feel it coming?"

"Supreme Leader," Kylo answered, "please excuse my apprentice. Teebasha can have premonitions but they're rather rare. Moreover, she was away on another planet to fix the control panel of her Interceptor. She could not help with the situation."

Teebasha smiled at him. Even through their personal crisis, he stood for her. However, she had to control her thoughts in Snoke's presence, whether holographic or not. The latter paused, its slender fingers rubbing his scarred chin.

"I sense that something in the First Order is not going well. When I try to put my finger on what it is, my visions are obscured by clouds. There is an invisible threat. I hope it is not coming from the inside," he seemed to mutter to himself before pausing again. He turned to Kylo and closed his eyes. "Tell every officer of the hangars to install trackers in every ship. Even your apprentice's Interceptor. We need to take more precautions."

Teebasha gulped and hid her panic. If the First Order started to track every ship, their alliance with the Resistance would soon be revealed. She could not go to D'Qar anymore aboard her Interceptor. What if they tracked Ben's Upsilon as well? They would not be able to attend any more meeting on D'Qar.

"I will tell them, Supreme Leader," Kylo replied in a neutral tone.

"Kylo Ren, you understand that I can't trust General Hux any longer, don't you?"

"I do understand."

"It seems like I can't trust anyone else either now, but the last person I know I can rely on is you. I give you the permission to land on the station. From now onwards, you will keep an eye on Hux and the construction of my weapon. If you notice anything suspiscious or witness anything, you must report them to me immediately."

"Of course, Supreme Leader. I won't disappoint you like Hux did."

"If anything goes out of hand, I will have to supervise the construction myself. Believe me, Hux doesn't want me to supervise it."

Teebasha's heart slammed against her chest. They would both go to the station and wait for any unpleasant detail to happen. Then, after reporting it to Snoke, that would be it.

"Don't disappoint me, Ren," Snoke said through gritted teeth. "It also is your last warning. You don't want to see me either."

Then, within a second, the hologram disappeared, plunging the room into thick darkness. The mentor and the apprentice faced each other. It would only take one single mistake.

The war was about to begin.


	25. Chapter 24

Nervously tapping her foot with her arms crossed against her torso, Teebasha watched the technicians installing trackers on every starship they could find in hangar six. Her teeth were chewing her bottom lip as she focused primarily on one of the technicians approaching her Interceptor. The sight was unbearable; the only person to whom she had given the right to change or add parts in her beloved shuttle was Natelo'or. Helplessly seeing someone altering her control panel was so painful she had to look away once in a while. Or, she would turn to her awfully silent mentor, standing next to her with his hands in his back.

As soon as the meeting with the Supreme Leader had ended, Ben had dashed out of the room to command all the officers and technicians in the many hangars to track every ship that belonged to the First Order. Then, he had contacted every base and every other Star Destroyer to ask them to do the same. Now, every pilot would be spied on by the computers and machines of Snoke's servants.

Although he did not appear quite upset by the whole situation, Ben actually turned out to be as worried as Teebasha. He was watching the scene as well, speechless, fully aware of the danger it could be for both of them and the Resistance. His quiescent self he had to show within the First Order was almost too difficult to keep; never had he been that glad to be so feared by officers and lieutenants that they did not even dare glance at him and notice his trembling hands.

However, it turned out that obeying Snoke's orders could have a positive impact on the alliance with the Resistance: by getting in touch with the other bases and ships of the organisation, he had taken the initiative to save the coordinates of each of them on a memory device to use them against Snoke. Henceforth, the Resistance nearly had all its chances to wipe out the First Order. This power was now between his hands.

Observing a certain lack of reaction coming from him, Teebasha grunted and stormed out of the control room. Immediately noticing her departure, Ben followed her, taking large and heavy steps until both reached her room. Once inside, Teebasha locked the door and turned to Ben with a ferocious glance.

"What are we going to do, now?" she snapped although involuntarily. "They're tracking my Interceptor now, I can't go to D'Qar anymore! And I'm pretty sure he's tracking _your_ shuttle as well, even if you _have_ the permission to land on the station."

"Teebasha, let's not lose our temper," he replied calmly, which took her aback. Besides, hearing such a thing coming from Kylo Ren – the most choleric man she had ever met – sounded quite ironic.

" _Let's not lose our temper_?" she repeated with growing rage. "They're tampering with my Jedi Interceptor without my consent! We can't meet with the Resistance anymore. How can _you_ be so calm about it all?"

Ben sighed and raised both of his hands to take off his mask. The snout-like front emitted a brief and low whistle as it jutted out of the helmet. He pushed upwards to make the whole slip against his cheeks, barely dishevelling his shiny black mane. His dark eyes were now staring into hers instead of the expressionless black glass through which he could see when wearing the mask. Under the poor light of the room, his impressive scar seemed thicker.

"We don't have to worry about our alliance. Yes, we are in greater danger now, and we'll have to take more precautions. But it enabled me to get the precise location of every base we own. I saved them all on this device," he said while showing her a sort of flash drive, smaller than a finger. "I need you to find a way to send those coordinates to the Resistance."

Teebasha stared in awe at the memory device, whose dark colour reflected the light shining upon it. She remained speechless for a short moment, until she shook her head and broke the silence.

"You… You managed to get all this information!" she gasped. "I _must_ find a way to avoid the First Order's trackers and –"

A sudden beep emanated from the other side of the room, interrupting her. Both turned their heads to the source of that noise and noticed R2 in a corner, freshly turned on. The corners of Teebasha's mouth rose as a sudden thought crossed her mind. She walked up to her droid and knelt down beside him.

"I think I have an idea."

"What is it?" Ben asked curiously.

"You told Snoke that I couldn't help with the sabotage since I was away to get a piece of my control panel repaired, remember?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for saying that to him, by the way," she paused with a thankful grin and an almost loving expression. "Anyway, this gave me an idea. The Supreme Leader didn't really seemed bothered by the idea that I could leave the _Finalizer_ on my own. We could use that to our advantage. I could short-circuit R2 and ask for your permission to leave for Ryloth to get him repaired. No-one aboard this ship can know how to repair such an old droid, especially since Natelo'or added many options and parts that can only be found on Ryloth. I could go there to meet Natelo'or, my ship will be tracked, and they'll know I'm there. But I could use one of Natelo'or's spare shuttles to go to D'Qar and give them the information and tell them how close we are to this war."

Ben's puzzled expression faded instantly. His jaw dropped lightly, and his gaze moved from Teebasha to R2. The droid protested, but his owner rested a gentle hand on his head to calm him.

"You are a _genius_ ," Ben exclaimed.

"I'm not comfortable with using my comlink here to contact them. I don't want to use R2 either, they would intercept the signal and spy on our conversation. I'd be arrested in an hour."

"That's right. We can't take that risk."

Teebasha nodded her head then turned to her robotic friend, running her fingers up and down his head in a soothing gesture. She gave him a joyless grin.

"R2, I need to short-circuit you. This is important. You know I wouldn't do it otherwise."

The droid kept protesting. She tried to calm him as much as she could, but he seemed to entirely disapprove of the idea. Although he guessed how dangerous it could be for them to travel to D'Qar, the idea of being short-circuited sounded too unpleasant for him.

"Let me short-circuit you, R2, I'm begging you," Teebasha pleaded. "If I don't do that, I'm going to get killed, as well as all our friends. Even R2-D2 and BB-8."

R2 let out a low beep and turned his back to her. The small door in his back opened, and Teebasha smiled, patting her droid's head.

"Thank you."

She took a deep breath and fiddled with the wires in sight. In less than ten seconds, the droid chirped loudly before being reduced to silence. The blue and red lights near his main lens were turned off, and Ben understood that Teebasha had managed to short-circuit him. She closed the door of the metallic body and stood up.

"Master, I need to go to Ryloth."

With a smirk, Ben nodded and put his mask on again. They both lifted the droid up, carrying him along the corridors leading to hangar six. Every so often they would stop and catch their breath; R2 was not as light as a feather, quite the reverse. But sooner than they expected, they entered the control room, catching the eyes of the present officers.

Behind the central computer stood a tall man in his uniform, his lips firmly sealed. His cold grey eyes scanned the room once in a while to make sure that his subordinates were actually busy guarding the hangar instead of being busy doing something else. From the medals on his uniform, Ben recognised him in an instant: that man was Lieutenant Oamuys, a dedicated follower of the Supreme Leader and one of the most ruthless lieutenants the organisation had. He was the kind of man who would make wild animals flee on his way, and who could kill with a single stare.

"Snoke must fear something," Ben whispered to his apprentice. "He never sends Lieutenant Oamuys for nothing."

"Is it good for us?"

"Could be. Or couldn't. I'm not quite sure."

Ben took a deep breath and went up to Oamuys as Kylo Ren, standing upright and looking upset. Oamuys glared at him from the corner of his eyes with a disgruntled air. The Lieutenant had never had a good opinion about the Commander, and every time he had been given the opportunity, he had complained about him and his methods he found too soft and too childish at times. He probably was the only man in the First Order who did not fear him one bit. Yet, they both shared one thing in common: both were immensely feared by the soldiers and other officers and lieutenants of the organisation. The only difference was that Oamuys was the only one to be hated in addition.

"Ren," Lieutenant Oamuys grouched.

"Lieutenant Oamuys, I'm giving my permission for my apprentice to leave aboard her Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor. She needs to leave for Ryloth in order to get her droid repaired."

"There are plenty of droids who could do that instead," he replied haughtily while examining Teebasha and her inactive droid.

"The defective parts inside my droid are typical of Ryloth. That's the only place where I can get them repaired," she replied defiantly. "I've never heard of any foreign droids capable of fixing such parts, let alone humans."

"I still think that our technicians are highly qualified for this job, Miss."

Ben let out a loud grunt and grabbed Oamuys by the shirt, lifting him so his feet would leave the ground. His icy mask stopped a few inches from the older man's face. For the first time since they had known each other, Oamuys seemed to fear him, as his cheeks had turned paler than they already were. General Hux would have looked tanned in comparison.

"Are you questioning my authority, Lieutenant?" Ben scolded, clutching the fabric of his uniform more firmly.

"For me to do that, you would require to _have_ some kind of authority," the wrinkled lieutenant grunted defiantly. "Be careful, Ren. You're nowhere near powerful."

Under his stuffy helmet, Ben's face twisted in anger. He abruptly let go of Oamuys' uniform and his right hand rose in front of him. The veins in the lieutenant's neck jutted out unexpectedly as he gasped for hair, his cheekbones turning red. Teebasha witnessed the scene helplessly; she had not expected that level of wrath the two men felt towards each other. Although Lieutenant Oamuys was exactly the kind of person she could never like, she understood that Ben had crossed a line. They did not need to make a scene; this kind of behaviour could put them both at risk. If Ben started to rebel too much against members of the First Order, their opposition could quickly be unveiled.

As the old man's face turned blue and Ben did not seem to be about to let go of him, Teebasha dropped R2 on the floor and lifted her hand, her palm facing Ben.

" _ENOUGH!_ " she yelled, catching the attention of all the people in the room.

Ben's arm abruptly lowered and his entire body tensed up. Some officers and guards in the room gasped, taken aback by the fact that someone without a status within the First Order had dared confront Kylo Ren. As for Oamuys, he fell on his knees and struggled to catch his breath; at least he was free from Ben's force choke. He looked up and noticed the fire burning in Teebasha's eyes as she stared resentfully at her mentor, keeping her hand up.

"Master, you don't want to make a scene, do you?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Let me go! Teebasha, you'd better let me go!"

"Not before you calm down and ask Lieutenant Oamuys to let me take my ship more nicely."

Ben clenched his fists but gave in; he understood by himself that he had crossed a line he had to be careful not to cross. If he wanted their whole operation to be effective, he had to be as discreet as possible. Nearly killing a lieutenant would not benefit him in any way – except on an emotional level, perhaps.

Sensing that he had started to relax, Teebasha lowered her arm and Ben could finally move his limbs again. He turned to Oamuys, who had stood up in the meantime, his face still red from the lack of air. He yelled at his officers to focus on their work before facing his computer again.

"Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor, it is?" he snapped shakily.

"Precisely."

"Where is your destination?"

"Ryloth," Teebasha answered, nudging Ben in the ribs to stand ahead of him. "It's an Outer Rim territory. Ryloth system."

"Thank you."

Oamuys entered the coordinates in his system, remaining silent for a couple of seconds. Then, he turned to Teebasha, pretending that Ben did not exist.

"You should know that from now onwards, your ship will be tracked. That is why we need your destination. There was an important attack against the First Order. For more safety, and to ensure that the attack was not internal, our technicians have equipped all the starships with trackers. If you remove or hack the tracker, we will know immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, Lieutenant."

She nodded her head and picked R2 up again. Ben helped her and both went up to her Interceptor; once they reached it, they settled R2 in his socket, whereas he would be useless during the flight. As Ben approached Teebasha to wish her good luck and to share some tender gesture with her, Teebasha turned her back to him instead, and without a single word, climbed inside her shuttle. In less than a minute, she was gone to outer space.

After calculating her hyperspace jump, she leant back against her seat with a sigh. She could not understand how all this had happened. In such a short time, Ben's behaviour towards her, or even towards other members of the First Order had drastically changed. He was not the monster he had been when she met him at first, but deep inside, she could feel that the light inside him had slightly died. How could this even be possible? She knew that love belonged to the light, but there, it was pulling him towards the Dark side. Even worse, _he_ was the one pulling himself down. He had refused to find other options to live with her, and every time she found herself near him, she could sense the inner battle going on in his heart.

She had believed that by helping him return to his family and rebel against the First Order, she could ease the strong emotional pain that he had had to deal with. It was as though her efforts were pointless; the pain lingered, even if it was not as strong as it used to be. Either his heart was constantly grieving, or he had not revealed everything to her.

It was terrible for her to realise that Ben's anguish was still burning him from the inside, whereas she had done everything she could to ease it. It was only then that she realised that she had spent all this time within the First Order trying to be his human plaster. She _had_ focused on the war against the First Order, and she was dedicated to that cause; yet the main person that had been on her mind had been Ben. All along, it was him.

Before she even realised it, it was time for her to leave hyperspace. After pushing buttons and a lever on her panel, the Interceptor slowed down, and the stars surrounding it appeared under their normal form again, instead of stellar strings. Right in front of her appeared Ryloth, all silent and brownish. Teebasha approached it with a nostalgic smile as she remembered the first time she had come to this planet, with a newly freed Natelo'or behind her.

The Interceptor landed on the Rylothian ground a few minutes later, welcomed by spirals of sand underneath it. She silenced the ion engines and jumped out of her spaceship. It was at this moment that she noticed the green Twi'lek running up to her.

" _Teebasha!_ " Natelo'or called her in disbelief before pulling her into a tight embrace. "I was afraid that you would never come back! A long time has passed since you last came. I had feared that something had happened to you."

"Don't worry, Natelo'or, the First Order can't get me, even if I live with them."

Natelo'or broke their embrace and gazed at her with the friendliest smile she had been given since she had agreed to become Ben's apprentice. The Twi'lek then peeked above her shoulder and frowned.

"What happened to R2?"

"The First Order put a tracker in my ship. I sabotaged their new superweapon. For safety, they started to track every single ship they found at the bases or in the hangars of Star Destroyers. I can't go to the Resistance base as easily as I could. Short-circuiting R2 was the only thing I found to come here and leave for the Ileenium system afterwards."

"Let's take R2 out of here. I'm going to fix him. And maybe I should change one of his parts. I had another droid coming for repairs that had the same part. It damaged it quite badly, I don't want this to happen to your droid."

"Thank you, Natelo'or. I'm sorry I have to ask you all these things every time I come."

"I told you when you freed me that I would do everything for you. It was my debt at first, now it's a pleasure, because it is for my friend."

Teebasha smiled and both of them proceeded to take R2 out of the dorsal socket of the spaceship. They put him down and Natelo'or brought him to his house. Teebasha looked all around her like she did the last time she had come there, glad to find herself someplace familiar. Some things had been added here and there, and she smiled as she understood it was the gifts he had given to his family thanks to the money she had let him earn for Vonar Horle's head.

While Natelo'or was taking out all the tools he would need to fix R2, Teebasha rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Natelo'or, do you have a spare ship that doesn't require an astromech droid that I could borrow to go to the Ileenium system?"

"I'm afraid I don't. I had to sell mine a month ago, but anyway I don't think it had the capacity to even travel across the Outer Rim."

"Crap. Do you know where I can find one?"

The Twi'lek sighed and stood upright, his golden necklace patting his chest as he moved. He turned to her with a light frown and pointed at the ceiling.

"I know someone on Ryloth who may have what you're looking for. However, I can't get in touch with her to let her know you're searching for a ship. Anyway, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find her at that cantina in Leb'Reen. That's where she spends most of her time."

"Leb'Reen," she repeated pensively. "Isn't it that city a few kilometres south from Kala'uun?"

"Precisely. I advise you not to take your Interceptor to Leb'Reen, though. That place is full of thieves. Besides, your tracker will send all the information to the First Order, and if you're seen there speaking to someone suspicious, they'll be informed immediately. And they'll know you've been cheating, because this cantina is inside a spaceport."

"How can I get there?"

"Let's find you a disguise. Then, I'll give you my speeder."

Teebasha nodded and followed Natelo'or to his bedroom. They faced a tall wooden wardrobe, from which he took a few clothes belonging to his wife, Genna. He gently pressed the clothes against Teebasha's figure, checking if they would fit.

"Genna and you must be the same size. I'll give you something to cover your head. That could be useful if First Order members are there."

Teebasha nodded again and went to the next room to remove her dark and dull First Order uniform. She neatly folded it and put it down on a chest of drawers near her before putting on the dress the Twi'lek had given her. As her fingers brushed the soft fabric of the piece of clothing, Genna's sweet and soothing scent emanated from it, taking hold of her nose like a caress. She smiled as she imagined Genna wearing this dress; since she had returned from her mission before hunting Vonar Horle, she had not seen her a single time, not even their daughter.

Genna was a wonderful woman, and Teebasha had always admired the way she was so polite and patient with everyone she would meet. She had the ability to adapt to anyone, which was something Teebasha envied. Had she not been herself, the former bounty hunter would have wished to be Genna more than anyone else.

She exited the room and met Natelo'or in the corridor. The latter handed her a pale pink veil with brown head jewels. He helped her put it on and afterwards, patted her shoulder.

"I hope this is going to be comfortable. I know you're not used to dresses and head accessories."

"Oh, I still have that blade hidden in my hair," she chuckled. "Now it's time for me to go."

While on their way to Natelo'or's personal hangar, the Twi'lek started to ask her questions about her new life as double agent for the First Order and the Resistance, and the secret operation.

"You told me you sabotaged the superweapon," he began, "weren't you afraid of getting caught?"

"Of course I was. But thanks to R2's scans, I made my way freely on the station. The First Order has been deeply weakened by the battle on Starkiller base, even if it doesn't look like that. Their security isn't as effective as it used to be."

"What's your role with the Resistance?"

"I'm a double agent. I work for both of them, but I'm all for the Resistance. Snoke is a cold-blooded monster, a hideous creature that wants to crush everything that stands in his way. I know he's strong, but I don't know to what extent. We have to be extremely careful in everything we do."

Natelo'or nodded his head slowly as he heard about the danger she was in. Obviously, he was not pleased with this idea; he could not bear it if anything happened to her.

"I'm worried about you, Teebasha," he intoned tremulously. "Genna is, too. If anything was to happen to you, if you were killed… we couldn't live with it."

"Natelo'or, _muchi_ , nothing will happen to me, I promise."

"Why do you have to go to D'Qar right now?" he asked with a frown, wrapping his arms around himself. "Why do you have to go there right when they start tracking your ship?"

"Ben saved the coordinates of every base and ship that could back up the First Order during a battle. I must give them to the Resistance. If we weaken the Order more than it already is, then we multiply our chances to win this war and bring democracy back to the galaxy. That's all I wish."

"I miss our democracy…"

As they faced Natelo'or's hangar, they opened the heavy doors. Teebasha stayed outside and heard engines roar inside, as the Twi'lek came out with his old brownish speeder. After a brief embrace, Teebasha looked at Natelo'or.

"Who is that person I must meet in Leb'Reen?"

"Her name is Xylas Rato. She's a smuggler from Metellos."

"A smuggler?" she repeated, visibly amused. "Since when are you friends with smugglers?"

"I befriended a bounty hunter, anything can happen!" he replied with a chuckle. "She trades spaceships at several spaceports, especially Leb'Reen. She comes here often when her ships are damaged or need to be improved. We've talked a lot."

"How can I recognise her?"

"Just ask the barman. He'll know."

"Alright. Thank you again, Natelo'or. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Just go, and be safe."

Teebasha wrapped her arms around him and hopped on the speeder. She turned the engines on, and left as fast as lightning, the pink veil floating behind her. She followed the route leading to Leb'Reen, bypassing traders and scavenger villages. Ruins of ancient machines of the Empire stood in the sand, completely deserted, even by scavengers who had already taken everything they could sell. Figures wrapped in grey garments turned to her as she dashed across the landscape.

Sooner than she expected, she read a high sign indicating the entrance of Leb'Reen. Using her holomap, she found the way to the spaceport; less than five minutes later, she turned off the speeder and jumped off of it. She entered the gigantic door of the spaceport, which was full of travellers. Aliens, droids and humans came and went inside the modern building, chirping or chatting about thousands of topics. Teebasha bypassed a line of people queuing in front of a desk, behind which a droid sold tickets for public transport inside the Outer Rim territories.

She crossed the main hall, adjusting the veil on her head so that the few Stormtroopers in the area would not recognise her. " _What even are they doing here?_ " she wondered. " _Ryloth is a neutral planet and can't be a threat to the Order_."

Noticing a group of travellers heading to a perpendicular corridor, chatting joyfully and laughing, she decided to follow them. She soon realised it was a great idea; as soon as she turned to that corridor, she heard the catchy music played by an alien orchestra inside the cantina.

The cantina in Leb'Reen was not the most impressive she had ever seen. Since it was located inside the spaceport, there were far less bounty hunters or smugglers dawdling there. On Ord Mantell, she knew there were more dangerous cantinas here and there. The one she had been to in order to find information about Vonar Horle was probably the less dangerous one on Ord Mantell, although plenty of smugglers always gathered there.

The room was lit by purple and pink neon lights, safely attached to dark blue walls. Tables and seats were scattered across the lively place. A Bith orchestra played catchy tunes on a small stage on the right, surrounded by female dancers of different races. The large counter lined with stools could be find on the left side of the entrance. Teebasha noticed the whole collection of local and foreign drinks proudly displayed on shelves behind the two barmen talking with customers and serving them.

Teebasha went up to the counter and stood between two free stools. One of the two barmen, a truculent orange Twi'lek with protruding teeth, turned to her with a cha'kin – a small towel – in his left hand.

" _Kassurra zelada_ ," he greeted absent-mindedly. " _T'ssolok or yurp?_ "

"Give me one T'ssolok, _narsu_ ," she answered more politely.

With the help of a cha'shaku, the Twi'lek served Teebasha the traditional Twi'lek liquor she had ordered. Meanwhile, the young woman peeked all around her, careful to hide her face with the veil nonetheless, trying to see someone who could correspond to the image she had of Xylas Rato.

The barman pushed the glass of T'ssolok towards her, and she caught it skilfully between her fingers.

" _Arni'soyacho_ ," she thanked him in Twi'leki. "Listen, I'm looking for someone who comes here often. I've heard she's a faithful customer of yours. Does the name Xylas Rato sound familiar to you?"

"Xylas Rato?" the barman repeated with a defiant stare. Obviously he knew Rato, and this woman was tracked by either bounty hunters or other rats in the galaxy. " _Qato?_ "

"I need a ship to travel in the Outer Rim territories. But I can't use public flights."

" _Koa_ ," the Twi'lek replied almost aggressively.

Teebasha smirked and grabbed him by the wrist. As soon as the palm of her hand touched his colourful skin, the barman's muscles relaxed. What a great feeling it was to finally be able to do mind tricks again on people who were not trained to use them!

"You're going to tell me where I can find Xylas Rato. Right now."

" _Circoo_ ," he replied while pointing at a remote table on the other side of the room. " _Ash is circoo_."

" _Arni'soyacho_. How much do I owe you for the T'ssolok?"

" _Sooua'irr wupiupi_."

She took out her small purse from her pocket and took fifty-three wupiupi. She put the coins in the barman's hand and picked up her glass before crossing the room, under the puzzled look of the Twi'lek.

Sitting at the table, turning her back to the former bounty hunter, Xylas Rato was twirling a rusty coin on the table, tapping the fingers of her other hand on the thick canon of her blaster. Her brown skin glowed under the purple neon on her right, and the dreadlocks in her hair almost seemed thicker than they already were. Her worn out grey shirt could barely cover the impressive scar that crossed her collar bones.

Teebasha approached the woman, careful not to spill her T'ssolok, and stood beside her, waiting for the smuggler's invitation to sit down.

"Xylas Rato?" she spoke loud enough to cover the hubbub filling the cantina.

Xylas cocked an eyebrow without looking away from her spinning coin. She took a deep breath, visibly annoyed that someone dared interrupt her break.

"Depends on who's asking."

"My name is Teebasha Varn."

"Oh, you're that bounty hunter everyone talks about," the smuggler sneered, still avoiding eye contact. "Everyone thinks you're dead."

"Fortunately for me, I am not. I only quit the activity."

"If you quit, as you say, then why are you looking for a smuggler?"

Teebasha sighed and sat in front of the woman, putting her drink down on the table first. For the first time, she shared a glance with Xylas. Her bright yellowish eyes contrasted with the colours of the place; they appeared so bright that she could look like a creature patiently waiting in its cave to attack its prey. A tiny scar compared to this on her chest marked her right cheekbone, and from its colour, Teebasha could tell it was still fresh. From the look on her face and her cold demeanour, it was puzzling to know why Natelo'or could befriend such a person.

After sipping her Twi'leki liquor, Teebasha removed the veil from her head, freeing her hair and the upper part of her face.

"I need a ship. A good friend of mine told me you owned a few."

"A _good friend_?" Xylas repeated, tilting her head. "Many people told me about their friends. It never ended well."

"You may know Natelo'or Riva, from the outskirts of Kala'uun."

"Oh! The Twi'lek!" she exclaimed in slightly happier and warmer tone. "He's a good man. A very gifted one."

Teebasha smiled widely at the thought of her best friend – and perhaps only _real_ friend. She cleared her throat and looked up at the smuggler again.

"Indeed. I really need a ship to travel across the Outer Rim. However I don't have my astromech droid with me. Do you have a shuttle available?"

"Of course, I do," Xylas smirked. "But it won't be free. Even if you're Natelo'or's good friend."

"Obviously. I wouldn't leave without paying you. What kind of ship do you own that corresponds to what I need?"

Xylas took a deep breath, and as she was about to speak, a man hurriedly came up to her and sat down beside her, pushing her a little further on the leather seat. The smuggler grunted and shifted a bit further to her right, rolling her eyes.

The man, who looked slightly younger than Xylas, was smiling broadly as he let out a sigh of relief as the softness of the seat welcomed his painful thighs. He leant back and ran his hand against the back of his neck. His square face was framed by a mass of chestnut brown dreadlocks, held up by a linen headband. One of the dreadlocks was stroking his jawline, its tip tickling the horizontal scars on his neck.

After a long moment of silence, he eventually noticed Teebasha's presence.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he chuckled, reaching out for her hand. "I'm Tylan Riggs, Xylas' Mantellian associate."

"Nice to meet you," she grinned as she shook his hand. By the way he spoke and moved, she immediately recognised the typical Mantellian demeanour. "I'm Teebasha Varn."

"Oh," Tylan paused, visibly puzzled, before turning to his associate. "Is she the..?"

"Not anymore, apparently," Xylas nearly interrupted him. "She needs a shuttle to travel the Outer Rim. Without an astromech droid. What do we have?"

"I've just taken delivery of a Nar Shaddaan ship. It bears lightspeed, and you don't need a docking ring for the jump into hyperspace. No compressor on the hyperdrive, I've removed it."

"Sounds perfect to me," Teebasha nodded. "I'm warning you: I'm not _buying_ a ship. I'm only… let's say… _renting_ it. I have a ship of my own, but my idiot of an employer installed a tracker on the system. And my R2 unit is currently being repaired in Kala'uun."

"Well, that's a first," Tylan cocked his eyebrows. "But that isn't a problem, I guess, what do you say, captain?"

Xylas squinted her eyes as she stared defiantly at Teebasha. Her fingers had stopped tapping the canon of her blaster, and noticing that gesture, Tylan gulped.

"Why did your employer put a tracker in your ship?" she asked. "Did you tamper with the ships?"

"No. I'm not going to tamper with any ship. My employer fears rivalry."

"Are you careful with the starships when you fly? Have you ever had any accident?"

"Never. I am a gifted pilot. I've flown ships since my childhood. I'm already quite careful with my own belongings, so when it belongs to someone else, I take even more precautions."

Xylas watched her take a few gulps of her T'ssolok. The smuggler shared a look with her associate and nodded so lightly it was hardly visible. Tylan smiled at Teebasha and winked.

"Well, let's have this first," Xylas gave in. "But you'd better give us our ship back without a single scratch. Understood?"

"Xylas, the ship is already damaged. Friendly reminder: it belonged to a stupid Hutt," the Mantellian replied seriously. "Obviously there'll be scratches, Varn can't do miracles."

"I understand your worries," Teebasha grinned reassuringly. "I vow not to do anything to your ship. Actually, I'll return it today. It's no big deal."

"Fine. Let's agree on a price, then."

Xylas scratched her chin as she pondered over a price. She had always issued prices for ships made to be bought by travellers; renting one for merely a day was a situation she had never been confronted to. After a long while, she took a deep breath.

"Nine hundred wupiupi."

"Quite expensive for a worn out Nar Shaddaan starship," Teebasha sneered. "Nar Shaddaan shuttles aren't big, and it's just enough for the trip I'm going to make. Besides, I won't be gone for long. Seven hundred."

"Seven hundred already sounds too expensive to me," Tylan naturally said, earning an abrupt nudge in the ribs from Xylas.

"Eight hundred," the female smuggler insisted.

"Seven hundred and fifty."

Xylas and Tylan shared another look; the Mantellian nodded frankly, making his associate sigh.

"Deal."

Teebasha shook their hands, but neither of them stood up to head to the hangar. They all finished their drinks – hurriedly or not – and stayed there for a while. Tylan crossed his arms on the table and leant closer to the former bounty hunter with squinted eyes.

"Let me guess where you're from," he said excitedly.

"Oh, come on, Riggs, not that game again!" Xylas groaned and crossed her arms.

"Stop protesting! It's a funny thing, it's interesting to know where our customers come from! Anyway… I'd say that you're from… Ord Mantell."

"Riggs, you _always_ say Ord Mantell."

"But this time it has borne fruit, it seems," Teebasha laughed. "I _am_ Mantellian. But I live in Ryloth now."

"HA! Told you!" Tylan exclaimed. "Where are you from, precisely?"

"Ord Mantell City."

"Oh! My ancestors were farmers, thousands of years ago. But then, one became a smuggler – a famous one on top of that – and most of our family members are smugglers as well."

"I _knew_ that your name sounded familiar. Your ancestor is Corso Riggs, right?"

"You know him!"

In such a short time, Teebasha felt some kind of affection towards Tylan Riggs. Perhaps it was only the fact they both originated from the same planet. She had heard about his forebear plenty of times. While spying on smugglers in order to decide of the right time to put the instructions on the notices into action, she had heard them ranting about Corso Riggs, the farm boy who had changed paths to become a renowned smuggler after his encounter with another smuggler, at the time when Ord Mantell was torn apart between the Old Republic and the Separatists. Corso Riggs was devoted to the Republic, and had helped his associate to carry medicines and other items to the forces of the Republic. Somehow, both of them had taken on a share of the Republic's victory.

Finally, the three of them stood up from their seats and left their empty glasses on the table. They exited the cantina and crossed the spaceport without uttering a word. They reached the hangar where the two smugglers kept the ships destined to be sold. Teebasha – who had readjusted the veil on her head and face – peeked all around her, curious to see the shuttles coming from everywhere in the galaxy. She passed by Geonosian fighters, Corellian freighters, Ylesian ships, and Cato Neimoidian fighters. Then, at the back of the hangar, they found the Nar Shaddaan ship that Teebasha was supposed to take.

After a quick check-up of the starship, Xylas and Tylan approached the young woman. Fortunately, Xylas seemed to be in a better mood than before. Teebasha took out the small purse hanging at her belt next to her lightsaber, which she hid carefully, and took out the money she owed the smugglers.

"Here's your due. Thank you for your trust."

"Thank _you_ for your trust, Captain!" Tylan replied joyfully. "Hope I'll get to meet you on Ord Mantell one day."

"I hope I'll be able to go back to Ord Mantell one of these days," she replied with a bit of melancholy in her voice. She knew that if she was to be killed during the upcoming war, she would never see Ord Mantell again. She could not see it even before the war.

"You don't have to bring the shuttle back here," Xylas said, patting the starship. "You can directly fly back to Natelo'or's hangar. I must repair that thing, and I'm supposed to go back there tomorrow."

"I will leave it to him, then."

"Well, I don't think I need to tell you anything else. Goodbye, Varn."

"Goodbye, Rato, Riggs. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Teebasha shook hands with both of them and hurriedly entered the shuttle. While the platform shut itself, she settled on the pilot's seat, ripping the veil from her head and tossing it on the co-pilot seat. She stared at that seat for a few seconds, picturing Ben sitting next to her on their trips to bases or the Ileenium system. At that moment, when fear gained her progressively at the thought that the end could be near for her, she wanted him to be near her. She did not want to respond to his invitation, and she knew her opinion would not change; however, she oddly felt safe when she was with him. As he frightened nearly everyone, almost nobody would dare attack her or them.

Heaving a sigh, trying to focus on piloting, she left the spaceport of Leb'Reen and quickly jumped into lightspeed. Soon enough, she was flying above the green landscapes of D'Qar. When she landed, she noticed a dark silhouette wearing the recognisable leather jacket of the Resistance running up to her spaceship. She quickly recognised Finn as his figure became clearer; as she looked lower, she saw the heavy weapon he was holding against him, ready to shoot.

Teebasha quickly exited the ship; as she walked down the ramp with her hands raised above her head, Finn stopped in his tracks and a smile appeared on his face instead of his defiant frown.

"Oh, it's you."

"Hello, Finn! It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, even if we saw each other not too long ago," he chuckled. "Sorry about the weapon, by the way. When I saw the unknown ship coming, I had to take my precautions."

"I understand," Teebasha replied sympathetically as she pulled him into a brief embrace. "I couldn't take my ship or the Upsilon this time. The First Order has started to track every ship."

"Really?" Finn replied with a quizzical look.

Teebasha nodded slowly, and Finn lowered his weapon, holding it against his leg.

"Maybe you'd like to meet General Organa," he said eventually, breaking the brief silence. "But she went away. We had to take her to another base for safety reasons."

"Don't worry, I can meet Master Skywalker as well."

Without further ado, the young man spun on his heels and headed towards the base itself, followed closely by the double agent. He peeped at her a few times from the corner of his eye, as though he wanted to ask her something without daring to ask.

"Um… I heard the sabotage has been a success," he said tremulously.

"Indeed. The First Order has already reacted, which is why I'm here."

"If Skywalker allows me to stay, I'd love to hear about it."

Teebasha nodded, patting Finn on the shoulder. A few moments later, they found Luke standing on the side of the corridor, chatting with Rey and Poe. When Poe turned his head as he noticed their presence, he smiled at the both of them. Teebasha ran up to him, and the pilot wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank whoever's made us," she intoned. "I was afraid you would get killed. Master Luke told me that your ship was shot by a Stormtrooper and that you were heading home."

"I'm fine," Poe reassured her with a pat in the back. "I was lucky to have my squadron with me. They destroyed the canon before my X-Wing would get too damaged. Our pilots have really improved themselves."

"I'm glad to hear that," she nodded as she pulled away from him. "I know we've met not so long ago."

"Yesterday, actually," Rey laughed. "We're glad to see you here every time you come."

"The feeling is mutual, Rey."

Rey stepped aside to let Luke approach Teebasha slowly. The old Jedi Master smiled at her, but soon his smile turned into a frown of concern. As they stared at each other for a brief time, she understood that he had sensed the inner battle she was facing. From the look in his eyes, she guessed that he knew all about Ben's intentions. Trusting this man with her life, she did not even close the access to her mind; Luke could be of great help to solve this issue.

"I've been worrying about you since you ended our conversation hurriedly," the Jedi said in low-pitched voice. "What happened?"

"Ben asked a Stormtrooper to get me for a meeting with Snoke, Master. As soon as the Supreme Leader heard – or felt – about the sabotage, he summoned us. And I came as soon as I could to bring some news. I didn't want to use my comlink."

"Tell us more."

Teebasha opened her small purse and took out the memory device, which Ben had given her before she left the _Finalizer_. She held it in front of her, drawing the attention of her new three friends and the Jedi.

"Snoke fears mutiny since the sabotage. He ordered the technicians to put trackers in all the ships, including mine, which is why I had to come with a Nar Shaddaan shuttle. Ben had to get in touch with the representatives of all the bases of the First Order and he discreetly saved all the locations on this flash-drive. He asked me to give them to you for the attacks."

"Brilliant!" Finn and Rey exclaimed simultaneously.

"What a great initiative coming from him," Poe smiled as he took the flash-drive Teebasha handed him. "Thank him for me."

"I will. But there is something else you need to know. Snoke threatened General Hux as he realised that the security on the station wasn't effective. He allowed Ben to go there to keep an eye on the General. He told us to report abnormalities as soon as possible. However, if we report _one_ , Snoke will come to supervise the construction himself."

Silence settled in the corridor. Their faces darkened, except for Rey's. She glanced at everyone and shook her head.

"Isn't it amazing?" she frowned with a grin. "That means we'll soon get rid of the First Order! It's going to be hard, but we can do it. I can feel it."

"We shouldn't hurry too much though," Teebasha intervened. "Of course, we must make Snoke come, but we should take our time. Make sure that the squadrons are ready, and that your soldiers are well-equipped. Snoke doesn't trust Hux anymore, but if we immediately point at a breach, he will suspect something."

"I agree with Teebasha," Poe said. "I will organise a meeting with my pilots, and I will let you know when we're ready."

"That would be great. I believe we'll need one last meeting before the battle, to discuss the strategies at least."

"I think General Organa has this all planned," Luke nodded. "We have decided to hide her somewhere for now, just in case. But she will lead this meeting."

Everyone nodded and after quick embraces and goodbyes, Teebasha ran back to the Nar Shaddaan shuttle and flew back to Kala'uun, where she left it at Natelo'or's. R2 returned to her, and together, they flew back to the _Finalizer_.


	26. Chapter 25

Mud embraced the sole of the black boot setting down on it, forcing the blades of grass into bending under its weight. It emitted a splashing sound, low enough to be left unnoticed by the higher creatures dawdling around. Its squishy texture still bore the weight of the thick drops of rain that had slashed the windy sky for entire days. Although the clouds were long gone, the freshness and moisture of the earth lingered, hindering the troopers' work.

Standing beside her mentor, Teebasha scanned the area and observing the building site below. Troopers, technicians, engineers and slaves swarmed across the area like Endorian ants, following the orders of General Hux, yelling at them from a higher spot. As she watched him supervising the construction of the new weapon, she could not help but picture him with a whip in hand and a crown on his head. Had he been able to whip the slower or weaker ones as they passed him by, he most likely would have taken his pressure out on every one of them. Besides, Ben's presence on the site was not the most appeasing thing for him, let alone Snoke's threats.

Ben adjusted his hood over his head and mask. Never had he been so glad to wear this helmet in such a chilly weather. One of his gloved hands rested on Teebasha's shoulder in both a severe and a tender way. She turned her head spontaneously, facing the cold mask she loathed. It was upsetting not to be able to decipher his facial expressions despite the tone he could use when speaking. She had noticed the contrast between the two whenever Ben expressed himself.

"Let's move from this spot," his mechanical voice filled the air. "We won't be able to find any breach from here."

"Right behind you, Master."

After a second of hesitation, Ben nodded his head, spun on his heels and headed towards the site itself. Teebasha wrapped her arms around herself, staring at his back while following him. Since they had discussed his feelings and agreed to grant Teebasha some time to consider his offer, she had limited their conversations to strict military topics and issues regarding the operation. Although she had scarcely worried about it and did not intend to, she hoped that he would not mention it. However, something else had started to disturb her.

Since she had decided to restrict their exchanges, she had observed a slight change in Ben's behaviour. In the tone of his voice, his expressions or gestures, she had not sensed any trace of impatience, let alone rage or fury. Conversely, the traits of his face as relaxed as can be hinted that deep inside, he believed she was abandoning him. The fact that she had not treated him as a friend for the previous few days like she used to and went back to treating him as her mentor – and her mentor only – was a painful transition. The hesitation he had shown a few seconds earlier had betrayed his state of mind. To him, hearing her call him _master_ instead of _Ben_ or even _Kylo_ was worse than being stabbed in the back.

Yet, without her knowing, he kept smiling lovingly at her from behind the cold façade that his mask represented.

Ben and his apprentice stopped near the piled boxes and crates of equipment and other materials which were necessary for the construction of the station. For a moment, they stared at slaves picking up heavy equipment, which they struggled to carry to the other side of the area, their backs hunched after so many hours of endless work. Teebasha cringed at the pathetic view; her inner voice vowed to free them all by wiping out the First Order.

General Hux approached them with pursed lips and his cheeks reddened by the cool temperature. He kept both of his hands behind his back, which he straightened with pride. He glared at Teebasha; the only thing she could compare the animosity in his eyes with was either a Wampa or a Rancor. Or any venomous creature for that matter.

"Good afternoon," he hissed. "I hope the view of my men working is a pleasure to you."

"I've seen better," Teebasha provoked him with arms folded.

By resting a heavy hand on her shoulder, Ben ordered her to keep quiet and avoid any kind of confrontation. After he dragged her behind him, he crossed his arms and faced Hux himself.

"You know that I have no choice. Supreme Leader Snoke ordered us to come here to keep an eye on the construction. You know me well enough to know that I'd rather be somewhere else," Ben replied, surprisingly calm.

"Oh, but I bet you _exulted_ from behind your stupid mask during our last encounter with the Supreme Leader. I don't know what happened, and I don't know what caused this sabotage. It can be native species trying to rebel against us."

" _Trying?_ " Teebasha mocked him. "They didn't only _try_ at that point."

General Hux's face twisted in rage and turned all red as he stepped forward, ready to fight her; before he could even move his arm, Ben blocked him with a mind trick. Immediately understanding what was happening to him, the red-haired general started to roar.

" _LET ME GO, YOU IDIOT! I'M GOING TO KILL HER! AND YOU WITH IT!_ "

"Oh, you'd like to, General, but if you do, you know it'll be your turn afterwards," the young woman spat in his face. "Supreme Leader Snoke doesn't trust you. If he knows you killed us, this will be the end of you."

Realising she was right, General Hux tried to calm himself down. Once his face had turned as pale as usual, Ben let him go. Earning a death glare from the man, he watched him walk away and yell at the slaves he thought were too slow at work.

Teebasha went to stand next to Ben, observing the scene thoroughly. As nothing suspiscious or out of the place happened, she threw a glance at her master from the corner of her eye.

"I feel like there's not much for us to do here today," she said. "Checking on them is a waste of time. I bet Hux is even harsher on his men since our meeting with the Supreme Leader."

"I'm afraid you're right. He's even more careful now."

"What are we going to do?"

Ben spun around and started to walk away with his apprentice following him at the same pace.

"Let's go back to the _Finalizer_ ," he replied almost curtly. "I don't want to waste my time staying here. Maybe we need some more training."

"Do you still have doubts about my skills, Master? You know I'm ready for the big fight."

"Your arrogance annoys me, Teebasha. You underestimate your opponent here. Now follow my lead. We're having a training session, whether you want it or not."

Teebasha groaned and kept her comments to herself. She did not underestimate Snoke as Ben assumed, quite the reverse. She was not even sure if she could defeat him, even with his help and Luke's. The only thing was, she did not want to spend any more time with Ben at that moment. As much as she hated that, she needed some time alone to brace herself for the upcoming battle.

Both boarded the Upsilon in absolute silence. Teebasha sat in the pilot's chair, putting the headset around her forehead. While Ben sat down next to her, she made the shuttle rise from the ground and race towards the Star Destroyer.

When the V-shaped shuttle found itself floating around the massive starship, a light on the dashboard started to blink rapidly, catching the attention of the two passengers. Adjusting the headset so it covered her left ear, Teebasha flicked a switch on the panel, and a clear hologram appeared, showing an officer of the First Order with his hands in his back.

"Resurgent-class Star Destroyer _Finalizer_ to Upsilon shuttle. Officer Xin Mills speaking. Do you copy?"

"Upsilon shuttle to Resurgent-class Star Destroyer _Finalizer_ ," Teebasha replied with a light frown. "I copy, Officer Mills. Teebasha Varn speaking, with Commander Kylo Ren."

"Glad I could reach you both. Your shuttle has been recognised by our officers and droids, you are authorised to land in hangar two."

"Thank you, Officer."

"There is something else I must inform you about. A pilot of the Resistance has been captured around our base on Iridonia. The Resistance plotted an attack on our hangars, and most of them have been destroyed. General Hux ordered us to keep the pilot in the prison aboard the _Finalizer_. We are waiting for your orders, Commander Ren."

Teebasha bit the inside part of her cheek, almost making it bleed. She glanced at Ben, who remained calm yet formal with the Officer, since he could see them both. Ben sat up on his chair and leant in slightly, as though he was about to whisper something to the hologram.

"Keep the pilot there until we come in. We will pick them up and proceed to a questioning session so they can give us information about the attack."

"We will do as you say, Commander."

The young woman barely paid attention to the dialogue. As soon as Officer Mills had mentioned a pilot of the Resistance, she was fearing the worst. Although she was desperate to know that a member of the Resistance had been captured, she hoped that the pilot there was not Poe. He had already been captured twice and sent to the _Finalizer_ , and the First Order was not very likely to let him live this time after two escapes.

And if they helped the pilot escape, they risked their lives.

Officer Mills was about to put an end to the dialogue when Ben interrupted him and asked out loud what Teebasha was too scared to ask.

"Who is that pilot?"

"Our men think the pilot is Jessika Pava, a female pilot who fought during the battle on Starkiller base."

"Good. We're going to take care of her. Tell the guards we are coming."

Officer Mills bowed and the hologram disappeared. Teebasha took a deep breath and shook her head.

"What are we going to do, this time? We can't help her escape, they will know it's our fault. Poe escaped once because of us, if we do it again, Snoke will get suspiscious."

"We will question her about the attack and we'll ask her how come she was captured. Don't worry, Teebasha, we will find a way to help her out."

The apprentice shared an anxious look with her mentor and nodded her head slowly as she proceeded to land inside hangar two. After taking off the headset and placing it neatly on the dashboard, she exited the shuttle by the bay door. Rolling her eyes at the sight of the troopers aligned on each side of the way, she took large steps forward, followed by Ben, who did not seem to pay attention to the troopers.

Four Stormtroopers guarded the main entrance of the prison aboard the starship. Heavy blasters in hand and their spine as stiff as the wall behind them, they were towering over Teebasha, who secretly cursed them for being so tall. One of them noticed their arrival and turned to Ben.

"Commander Ren, the pilot of the Resistance is inside. Cell 8169. Do you need an escort?"

"No, thank you, CM-0505. When did she arrive?"

"This morning, sir. While you were on the station with Miss Varn."

"Were you told anything about the attack on Iridonia?"

"Not much, sir. I only know that the Resistance wanted to blow our hangars up. Most of them were destroyed. Our ships were reduced to ashes. Her X-Wing crashed after one of our troopers shot the front of her fighter. She is injured, but not much."

Ben nodded his head and entered the prison, leaving Teebasha with the tall guard. As she turned to him, he leant his head towards her, awaiting any kind of dialogue with her. Teebasha straightened her spine and smiled shyly.

"Back to your station, CM-0505. Thank you for your help."

"Miss."

Much to her surprise, the Stormtrooper bowed slightly and stepped back to where he stood before. She smiled to herself and followed Ben's steps. She found her mentor standing before the cell 8169, giving orders to the lieutenant with him. Noticing her arrival, the lieutenant stepped aside and opened the cell.

When she peeked in, Teebasha saw Jessika Pava sitting in the tiny cell with teary eyes, her shoulders slouched in defeat. She was staring into space, her face still dirty from her risky landing. A fresh wound had left blood dripping down her forehead to her jawline, and the tip of the red line it left on her face was still shiny under the lamp. Even from where she stood, Teebasha noticed the dirt stuck under her nails, and the black stains on her hands and clothes.

Jessika's gaze rose slowly as she became aware of her visitors. She flinched a little at the sight of Ben in his full outfit, but a glimpse of hope sparkled in her eyes as she recognised Teebasha there. Had she not known she was watched by the First Order, she would have thrown herself into her arms.

"What is your name?" Ben asked coldly, feeling the presence of First Order members around them.

"J-Jessika Pava," the pilot answered fearfully, her lower lip trembling.

"Varn, take her out of that cell. We're going to question her in a remote room. She needs cuffs."

"Yes, Master."

As Teebasha grabbed the handcuffs a lieutenant was handing her, Jessika gasped and curled up on her bench, pressing her back as hard as she could against the wall. Ben's apprentice gently grabbed her wrists, although the pilot showed a little resistance, and put the handcuffs around them. She helped her up and left the cell, then the prison, with a shaking Jessika beside her. Whimpering and gasping at every movement, she did not seem to be able to calm herself down.

"It's okay, Jessika," Teebasha intoned, "you're with us now. They can't do anything to you unless Kylo orders it. And he won't."

"I-I'm dead."

"You're not dead, Jessika," the older woman said with a softer voice. "We will find a way to get you out of here."

"The... The others?"

"I don't know about them. We'll try to contact Master Skywalker."

Turning left in a corridor, they caught climpse of the questioning room ahead of them. Ben opened the blast door with a wave of a hand, and the three of them entered in silence. As soon as the blast door shut completely, Teebasha proceeded to take Jessika's cuffs off. The latter rubbed her painful wrists and whimpered again.

Ben removed his helmet and put it down to the ground, noticing there was not any table or panel he could put it on. He watched Teebasha guiding Jessika to the only chair in the room and helping her sit down. Then, he approached her slowly, careful not to upset the pilot more than she already was.

"Jessika, there is nothing to be afraid of here," he tried to comfort her. "There's only the three of us. You can speak freely."

"Give her some time to recover from the shock, perhaps," Teebasha interrupted him calmly with a worried look.

They both stared at the distressed pilot who did her best to hold back her tears. Teebasha knelt down beside her and rubbed her back slowly, while taking her hand in hers. Ben witnessed the scene with a tendered expression, his attention brought on his apprentice. He admired how sweet she was behaving with the pilot she had never directly spoken with. They had met during a meeting on D'Qar, but they were basically strangers to each other.

Somehow, Ben wished she would comfort him the way she was comforting Jessika. For a minute, he envied the attention she was giving to the pilot.

Jessika nodded her head and finally met Teebasha's gaze. She gulped twice and took a deep breath.

"General Organa ordered a third attack on any of the bases of the First Order. After a debate with the other generals and pilots, we agreed on Iridonia, since we thought there would not be as many troopers as on Haashimut," she started. "But it appeared that the First Order expected attacks coming from us, and there were a lot more militaries than we assumed, and we found ourselves trapped. They had fighters ready to fight back. Poe quickly blew them up, but the terrestrial troopers had more cannons than last time. One of our new pilots was killed during the assault, and one of the troopers shot the front part of my X-Wing before I could even open fire. My ship crashed in the forest nearby, and they immediately sent men to check if I was dead. Since I survived, they took me hostage and brought me aboard the _Finalizer_."

"I'm sorry to hear about the other pilot's death," Teebasha whispered. "What did they do once you arrived here?"

"They sent me to that cell and they tried to question me all morning, but I couldn't even speak. They contacted General Hux after you departed from the station, and he told them to wait for your arrival."

Ben folded his arms against his chest and frowned. Now he knew all about the attack, he moved on to his main issue: how could he send her back to the Resistance?

Judging by the quizzical look on Teebasha's face, he came to the conclusion that she had moved on to that issue as well.

"I'm afraid it'll be much harder to send you back to your base than it was for Poe," Ben sighed. "The whole place was in turmoil then, we'd be really lucky if it happened again!"

"I don't want to stay here!" Jessika protested in a sob.

"Calm down, Jessika, you won't. We'll help you escape."

"Master, we have a problem."

Both Jessika and Ben turned to Teebasha, whose eyes were staring at something near the ceiling. Following her gaze, they noticed the tiny camera filming their discussion. Ben gulped, realising that the First Order had not only tracked every ship. He knew there had never been any camera in any room, except for the hangars. When had they settled this one here?

Reaching out for the camera, he frowned and focused on it. In no time, sparkles started to fly all around the device, and after a few seconds, the whole thing exploded. After a quick look around, he took a step back and faced Teebasha.

"They know this camera was destroyed. In a few moments, a droid with a copy of the last images will come this way to reach the security office and deliver them the saves. If they see we destroyed it, we will be arrested. So, find that droid, and do what you can to prevent it from delivering the saves to the security."

"Got it!"

She dashed out of the room and let the door shut behind her. As the corridor was clear, she started to whistle and took a few steps in the direction Ben had shown her before leaning against the wall, pressing her heel against it as well. Folding her arms, she threw glances sideways, hoping to catch the droid.

After two minutes, she heard quick and clanky steps coming her way. Without moving a finger, she examined the corridor on her left and noticed an RA-7 protocol droid hurriedly approaching. Before it bypassed her, Teebasha called him.

"Hey, you, RA-7."

"Who? Me?" the droid reacted, looking around until its mechanicaleyes found her. "Yes?"

"What's your name?"

"My name is O-MR1, Miss, but people usually call me Omri."

"You seem to be in a rush, what's the matter?"

The droid, taken aback by her question, checked their surroundings in hope that no lieutenants or officers were around. He checked her uniform, and noticing she had no grade, he leant in to tell her about what was upsetting him.

"I'm afraid that the surveillance camera in one of the questioning rooms is out of service, Miss. It is my duty to take the last saves to the security post in corridor nineteen."

"Mind if I escort you?"

"Absolutely not. I never mind some company."

Teebasha pushed herself off the wall with a tilt of the hips. She followed the droid, who started to tell the story of his life. She did not even listen to him; in fact, she was too busy examining the surroundings. She did not know how to prevent the poor droid from delivering the had no plan at all. Fortunately, she was one of a kind when it came to improvising, and she hoped her talent could be useful at that moment.

As they moved closer and closer to the security office, Teebasha noticed a poorly lit perpendicular corridor. She cleared her throat, tired of the droid's never-ending speech.

"Um, Omri?"

"Yes, Miss? Oh, do I bore you with my stories? Please accept my apologies."

"It's fine. But do you know that there's a shortcut we can take to get to the security office?"

"Oh, really? Show me, I never heard of that shortcut of yours."

Teebasha showed him the corridor she had just noticed, and as soon as the droid entered it, she tackled him to the ground. Before he could scream for help, she short-circuited him and, with the help of the small blade she hid in her hair, she forcefully opened the part of the droid containing the saves. She stood up, feeling victorious, until she realised that someone might find it and question it afterwards.

Letting out a sigh, she rummaged through her pocket and dialed a number. Holding it up near her lips, she spoke in it as discreetly as she could.

"R2? I need you here, in... corridor twelve. _Quick_."

Most to her relief, R2 did not take long to reach her. As soon as he found her, she knelt beside the unconscious droid – had it been ever conscious.

"I need you to erase his memory. Can you do that?"

A few beeps of protest emanated from her friend.

"I'm not _giving up on the droid cause_. This droid is just too dangerous. I'll tell you about that later."

Giving up, R2 erased Omri's memory as fast as he could. Once it was done, Teebasha handed him the saves she had managed to retrieve.

"We need to change what's in there. Those are surveillance camera saves. Kylo destroyed the one in the questioning room we were at. A pilot of the Resistance was captured. I need you to erase the part where we get in with her. Make it look like an accident."

R2 took the saves and proceeded to erase the whole part in which Ben, Jessika and Teebasha could be seen. In order to ensure the procedure was successful, he projected the images. The young woman examined it thoroughly and smiled.

"Amazing, R2. You're the best!" she cheered until something caught her attention and turned her smile into a frown. "Wait. Play that part again."

The droid obeyed and rewinded the saves until the beginning of the part that had struck her. In the questioning room, standing near the chair, stood General Hux alongside two Stormtroopers and two other generals.

" _Our humiliation in front of Supreme Leader Snoke was a disaster_ ," Hux gritted through his teeth. " _I made a mistake, but I am sure that this sabotage is nowhere near a coincidence._ "

" _What do you mean, General?_ " another man she did not recognise spoke. " _It is highly possible that native species plotted against us._ "

" _I don't believe so. This sabotage was a real attack against the First Order, not merely a protest from native species. I suspect one of us to be the problem_."

" _General, we are tired of the little squabble between you and Kylo Ren. You blame him for anything that goes wrong. When will you admit that you just couldn't handle a bunch of local creatures?_ "

" _This time, this is not him I blame. But his apprentice._ "

" _Varn?_ " the second general scoffed. " _Why would she plot against the Order? I'm afraid you are losing your mind, Hux_."

Teebasha frowned and focused on Hux's holographic figure as he brought his fingers to his chin. He started to pace up and down, under the quizzical looks of his colleagues. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and laughed. It was not the kind of laugh one produces when something joyful happens, nor was it the kind one would produce when seeing something funny. There was a hint of cruelty in it, something spine-chilling.

" _We need to exterminate her_."

" _Exterminate her? Hux, will you stop talking nonsense? She is under the supervision of Kylo Ren himself, there is no doubt she is dedicated to the First Order. Supreme Leader Snoke seems to think of her as a great element._ "

" _Supreme Leader Snoke doesn't trust her one bit. He was firmly opposed to Ren having an apprentice, but he finally gave up after his childish protests. She wasn't aboard the Star Destroyer when the sabotage took place. She came back when everyone started to react. I find this highly suspiscious._ "

" _Hadn't Ren sent her to Ryloth to get her spaceship repaired?_ "

" _That's what she wants you to believe. She_ was _on the station when it happened._ "

" _What if she wasn't?_ "

" _Believe me, she was. She's only a nuisance to the First Order. I need to eradicate her_."

" _Be careful, Hux. The Supreme Leader won't approve of this. He doesn't trust you any longer, what do you expect? Do you expect him to thank you? To throw himself at your feet and implore you to forgive him?_ "

Hux paused and paced up and down again, this time faster. The Stormtroopers, who had remained silent, shared a look and discreetly left the room under the approving looks of the two generals. The red-haired general stopped once again, turning his back to the others.

" _Give me three days. I will kill her myself if necessary. I will eradicate her in her sleep. Not because she won't suffer, but because that puppy of hers won't be there to protect her._ "

" _Puppy? Are you talking about her droid?_ "

" _Kylo Ren, you idiot! He obeys_ her _, not the other way around. Before I shoot her with a blaster, I will strangle her so I can see the pain and the fear in her eyes. That'll teach her to humiliate me_. _And once we get rid of her, we will get rid of Ren._ "

" _You are lost, Hux,_ " one of the two generals stepped back. " _We lost you. Supreme Leader Snoke has failed you._ "

R2 stopped the projection and chirped with anguish, staring at a shaken Teebasha. Her hands were trembling, although she did not understand why. It was not the first time someone threatened to kill her. Actually, many had attempted to, and they had all failed – she was the physical evidence of this. Yet this time it was different.

General Hux could kill her, but this time it was not as though she was the only one that would suffer from that. The whole Resistance relied on her, and Ben... What would become of Ben if Hux killed her? He could not fight Snoke alone, both of them knew that.

"R2, can you save that part in your data?"

Chirping in approval, R2 copied the conversation between the three men in his database. He gave the saves back to Teebasha, who picked up the motionless steel body of Omri. She hurried to the security office in corridor nineteen, and, trying as hard as she could to look cool, knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The blast doors opened before her, and she stepped in without hesitation. Several men were working behind their wide screens, controlling the area of the _Finalizer_ they were assigned. The man leading them turned to her, his hands in his back, a black cap on his head.

"What is it?"

"My name is Teebasha Varn, I am Kylo Ren's apprentice. I encountered your protocol droid, Omri. Apparently, he's supposed to bring you the saves of a surveillance camera that stopped functioning."

"What happened to him?"

"He short-circuited, it seems. But I managed to extract the saves. Here they are."

"Thank you, Varn."

The officer grabbed the memory device she handed him and plugged it on his own computer. He watched the whole film and shook his head.

"Nothing suspiscious. I knew those cameras were no good. We'll have to replace it. Thank you again. Leave the droid here, I will call a technician myself."

Teebasha nodded her head and left the room, meeting R2 in the corridor. Before she even realised it, she dashed across the corridor. She had never run that fast before, not even in her childhood or in the worst situations. She ran and ran, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.

" _I'M GOING TO KILL HER! AND YOU WITH IT!"_ Those were the words Hux had pronounced earlier on the station.

He was more serious than she thought he was.


End file.
